Communicating With Aliens
Communicating With Aliens
Topic: Artificial Intelligence Careers
Empowerment Lesson Video: Explore Careers in AI
Supplies:
- Copies of “Qellithar Research Instructions”, one per group
- A selection of magazines featuring human faces such as fashion magazines and news magazines
- Lined and unlined paper
- Markers
- Scissors
- Other basic supplies as requested by the ‘researchers’ such as pencils, small whiteboard, etc.
Video Discussion:
Ask, “What is artificial intelligence?”
Direct students to turn and talk to a partner.
Discuss students’ answers and craft a class definition. (An appropriate class definition could be, “The ability of a computer program or machine to think and learn.”)
Tell students they will be watching the video Explore Careers in AI. Explain that the video features role models discussing their jobs in the field of artificial intelligence.
After watching the video together, invite students to share specific things they learned about different AI careers featured in the video and to reflect upon their observations e.g., ‘I liked knowing that there were so many different careers in AI, and that even careers that I didn’t think used artificial intelligence like doctors or lawyers use AI tools.’
Use the following questions to discuss the video content and prepare the students for the activity:
- What AI careers were discussed in the video?
- Which AI career sounds the most interesting to you? Why?
- What did the Director of AI Research in the video do?
- Why might it be important to teach computers how to understand human emotions?
Activity Instructions:
In the future, artificial intelligence (AI) will play a big role in solving complex problems. This activity gives students an opportunity to think creatively and practice problem-solving skills by tackling an AI-related challenge—teaching an alien species about human emotions.
Using your creativity and teamwork, you'll create a way to help a newly discovered alien species, the Yoraba, understand emotions. This activity will help you think like AI experts as you explore how to teach complex ideas and build connections between very different beings!
Instructor Notes: Divide the students into teams of 3-4 ‘researchers’.
- Read the Qellithar Research Instructions document.
- Work with your team to form a plan to teach the Qellithar about human emotions. You might create lessons, props, or even stories! Be prepared to share your plan and materials with the class when time is up.
- Listen to other groups share their plans. Then, share yours!
- Great job working through the steps of the activity! By planning, brainstorming, and collaborating, you’ve experienced how AI researchers tackle complex problems and think creatively to find solutions. This activity helped you practice problem-solving, teamwork, and thinking critically—skills that are important in AI careers and many other fields!
