The workshop will cover 13 concrete AI skills, ranging from basic concepts to more advanced applications.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — As artificial intelligence continues to shape how people work and learn, local educators are offering a free opportunity for the community to better understand how to use the technology.
Experts from Fresno State and Fresno City College are hosting a one-day workshop next month designed to teach practical applications of artificial intelligence.
The event, sponsored by Granville Homes, will take place July 11 at Fresno City College.
For students like David Ortiz, the growing presence of AI has created both curiosity and uncertainty.
"If you're a student, you might be afraid of using AI, being told never to use AI, but learning about it, I think, is very important," Ortiz said.
Ortiz said he was first introduced to AI tools in Professor Todd McLeod's computer concepts course, where the topic is a key part of the curriculum.
"We talked a lot about AI," he said.
McLeod, a professor of information systems at Fresno City College, said the focus on AI reflects its increasing relevance in everyday life and across industries.
"So, it's a super essential skill," McLeod said. "Probably the most essential skill you can learn today is how to use AI more effectively, because that's going to generate dividends in all other areas of your life."
McLeod and Fresno State computer science department chair, Dr. Alex Liu, developed the workshop after working together and visiting Silicon Valley with students.
They said they wanted to make AI education more accessible to the broader community.
The workshop will cover 13 concrete AI skills, ranging from basic concepts to more advanced applications. Organizers say the content is designed for a wide audience.
"The workshop is going to be beneficial for everybody, regardless of whether or not you're a business owner, or if you're just, you know, an individual working for somebody, or you're looking for work," McLeod said. "AI is this general tool, which you can apply to any situation."
Dr. Liu said attendees will also participate in real-life simulations and can bring their own challenges to work through using AI tools.
"For example, waiting at the traffic light to see how long it takes to wait for the traffic light, and also whether there's a new investment that's needed from the government to make sure that the traffic will always not be congested in the traffic line," Liu said.
Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop or smartphone and download one of the popular AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini or Claude. No prior experience is required.
The workshop is five hours.
"We want to use this opportunity to introduce AI to them to make sure that the AI is a tool to make people feel more productive, more effective," Liu said. "So that they can spend their time on something more that takes more time for them to do."
Organizers are asking participants to register in advance, though there is no cost to attend. You can register by clicking here.
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