This project aims to develop hands-on learning experiences in generative AI (GenAI) through a course offered in French and English (Concordia) and a GenAI sandbox (Dawson). The goal is to prepare students with essential skills in the effective, responsible, and safe use of GenAI. Beyond responsible use, these experiences foster innovation and drive desirable outcomes like productivity and learning gains.

GenAI stands out from prior AI advancements by enabling exploration for everyone, not just technical experts. J.P. Morgan (2024) estimates that the productivity gains attributed to GenAI could increase global GDP by as much as 10%. However, judicious and responsible use of GenAI comes with significant challenges including copyright, security, biases, legal, privacy, transparency, explainability, and environmental impact. It’s not just AI experts that are noticing these challenges, Boston Consulting Group (2023) surveyed nearly 13,000 people in 18 countries and nearly all of them see the need for responsible AI and regulation. Education is one powerful strategy to ensure students have opportunities to leverage these tools the right way.

Through the development of practical GenAI learning experiences, our project aims to equip students with the skills necessary to leverage these tools in their personal and professional lives responsibly. The proposed course and GenAI sandbox ensure that using generative AI responsibly, ethically, and safely is at the forefront of the curriculum. Even though nearly all the 13,000 individuals surveyed by Boston Consulting Group (2023) recognize the need for training and upskilling in AI, only 14% of frontline employees have received training. The proposed learning experiences aim to help bridge this critical gap in the workforce while requiring no prior experience to ensure it is accessible to the widest range of students whose future careers and professional success may depend on these essential generative AI competencies.