“Best Practises for Hosting AI Workshops at the Public Library” is a session for BCLA’s AI Exploration Series, presented by Issam Laradji.
In this talk, Issam provided detailed guidance on how to conduct engaging and informative AI workshops at public libraries. He stressed the importance of starting with user-friendly, familiar AI tools like ChatGPT and Bing, which serve as excellent introductory examples for participants. These tools can show how AI is already being used in everyday tasks, making the technology more relatable and accessible to a wide audience.
The value of focusing on current AI topics that are frequently in the news, such as concerns about AI replacing jobs, ethical questions about AI use, and its increasing presence in industries like healthcare and education was also discussed. By shortlisting and discussing impactful AI buzzwords and issues, workshop facilitators can address the most pressing and relevant aspects of AI, helping participants feel informed about the latest developments.
It was also shared how we can make the presentation more engaging and fun by including live demos where participants can directly interact with an AI tool during the workshop. Finally, we will emphasize the importance of addressing common misconceptions about AI. By debunking myths and clarifying what AI can and cannot do, workshops can provide a more accurate picture of the technology. This helps attendees gain a clearer understanding of AI’s capabilities, limitations, and the broader implications of its use in society.
When / Where: Wednesday, October 16th, 2024
Presentation slides are available here and the recording is available on our Vimeo account.
Cost: We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, which enabled us to offer this event free of charge to advance accessibility for all people in British Columbia.
Issam Laradji is a research scientist at ServiceNow and an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia. He focuses on building AI models that can help humans achieve their goals in the best possible way. With a postdoc from McGill University and a PhD and MSc from the University of British Columbia, his expertise includes natural language processing, computer vision, and optimization. Issam is passionate about making AI more accessible to everyone and leads an inclusive, thriving community built on collaboration and shared learning. His vision is to create an environment where fun teams can network and work together on ambitious projects to spark curiosity, drive innovation, and advance human’s potential in what is possible.
Issam also provides tech workshops to the public for the West Vancouver Public Library and runs the Vancouver AI Academy, which is a community of people working on AI learning and development, sharing their knowledge and organizing events.
This online presentation via Zoom includes closed captioning and will be recorded for our Vimeo account, which includes a transcript. If you have any further accessibility needs to attend this session, please contact Natalie Porter, BCLA Professional Development Coordinator in advance and BCLA will do our best to support you.