A free three-day AI boot camp for high school students held in cities around the country since 2019 is expanding to Chicago this fall.
The Mark Cuban Foundation and the nonprofit group Youth Advocate Programs Inc. announced Tuesday that online registration for the Chicago boot camp is now open.
The camps provide students with an intensive, hands-on introduction to artificial intelligence, one of the fastest-growing technology advancements of the modern era.
The camps are being held in 31 locations in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Chicago is the only location in Illinois. All locations will hold their camps on the same consecutive Saturdays — Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and Nov. 14. The program is for high school students of all ages and is designed to be fully accessible.
The foundation and the youth nonprofit will provide meals, transportation assistance, and all necessary technology at no cost to participants. Funding comes from the nonprofit, the foundation and other organizations partnering to put on the camps.
Participants will learn how to use generative AI and machine learning. They also will look at the real-world use of AI in fields such as healthcare, business, sports, science, and the arts. The curriculum will also tackle the ethical implications of AI, teaching students to navigate issues of bias, transparency and privacy.
By the end, students will complete a capstone project that demonstrates their ability to use AI to solve real-world problems.
“As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, it’s crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it,” said Mark Cuban, founder of the Mark Cuban Foundation, in a statement. “While technology expands and becomes more advanced, it becomes more critical that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future.”
Gary Ivory, president and CEO of Youth Advocate Programs, said the boot camp helps empower the youth his organization serves.
“Youth justice-involved young people and those facing other complex challenges thrive when given opportunities to see and nurture their strengths,” Ivory said in a statement, adding that the camps “will open life-changing educational and economic doors.”
Applications are accepted only online — at markcubanai.org/students — and must be filled out by the student. More information is available here.
Students will get an intensive, hands-on introduction to the fast-growing technology. The Mark Cuban Foundation and the nonprofit Youth Advocate Programs Inc. have funded the free camps in dozens of other cities and are expanding to Chicago.
Students will get an intensive, hands-on introduction to the fast-growing technology. The Mark Cuban Foundation and the nonprofit Youth Advocate Programs Inc. have funded the free camps in dozens of other cities and are expanding to Chicago.
