With all the AI craze happening these past couple of months, we must embrace the possibility that it may, at some point, be adopted on a much wider scale. After a few years, the technology might either fade away as a fad or transform into something entirely different.
AI will be used by many people, from work to school. The challenge we face today, then, is validating the content that was generated or curated by the AI. The challenge is to learn and understand responsible AI use.
Leading the charge in the country, Mapua University brings AI-integrated education. President of Mapua, Dr. Dodjie Maestrecampo, has said that Mapua’s staff and faculty have studied AI, and have developed AI-integrated curricula.
Modules such as Basic Prompt Engineering with ChatGPT: An Introduction demystify the world of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and teach how to harness their capabilities. On the other hand, courses such as AI Foundations: Scripting ChatGPT with Python enable learners to use the general-purpose programming language of Python scripting to create human-like text generation models. These courses make it possible for learners to develop the foundations needed to create intelligent algorithms, machine learning models, and to automate intricate tasks.
Mapua University is closely collaborating with Arizona State University (ASU) to bring more opportunities to students. Because of this, more AI-related courses and modules will soon arrive to Mapua students.
During a panel with Dr. Maestrecampo and Rick Shangraw, Ph.D, president of Cintana Education and former vice president for research and innovation at ASU, they shared some examples of how educators are using the flaws of AI to train students not to be over-reliant on AI. Because of this, the curve for learning will get steeper, as the focus on training students to have sharper critical thinking intensifies.
Alongside the development of tech-driven degree programs such as Financial Technology and Business Intelligence and Analytics, these efforts help ensure the future readiness of the next generation of Filipino professionals who will begin their careers in a working landscape characterized by increasing automation and data utilization.
“We are nearing a future where the use of AI will be rampant. As early as now, we must empower future generations of professionals to use these tools responsibly in ways that support and complement human intelligence and capabilities. These efforts are in step with our mission to form future-ready, tech-oriented learners and to set the standard for AI-integrated education in the country,” said Dr. Dodjie Maestrecampo, president of Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mindanao, Mapúa Schools.
More and more, educators are seeing the possibilities for the further integration of AI in higher education. At the event, Rick Shangraw, Ph.D., president of Cintana Education and former senior vice president for research and innovation at ASU, highlighted how AI tools will be an enduring part of the innovation landscape for the foreseeable future. In recognition of the potential of AI to support human intelligence and amplify potential, Shangraw also shared how ASU recently became the first higher education institution to collaborate with OpenAI – the AI research and development company behind ChatGPT.
The collaboration between ASU and OpenAI brings the advanced capabilities of ChatGPT to higher education, setting a new precedent for how universities enhance learning, creativity, and student outcomes. The groundbreaking partnership between ASU and OpenAI was designed to enhance student success, streamline organizational processes, and forge new avenues for research.
“We stand in an exciting time for innovation, and we look forward to exploring and expanding the impact of AI in higher education with Mapúa University,” said Shangraw.
Beyond discussing how AI can be further integrated into higher education, the event also discussed the implications of AI in today’s professional landscape. With AI, data science, and machine learning sweeping through various industries, the fields of business and health sciences are undergoing digital transformations – requiring future professionals to be adept in the usage of these tools to unlock more opportunities for personal and professional development.
By seeing opportunities for AI in education and making world-class top-ranked education more accessible, Mapúa University further builds on a rich legacy of Mapúan academic excellence. With the collaboration between Mapúa University and ASU now in its third year, Mapúa University innovates in the present to help create a future where Filipino learners can take on the world together.