Thirty-eight grade 11 students from across the UAE experienced a glimpse into the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and what a career in the field may look like at the first dedicated summer school at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Masdar City last week.

Held in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), the MBZUAI Summer School encouraged the students to develop their entrepreneurial and team skills through a group-based AI and sustainability project, which culminated in pitching their ideas to a professional panel on how AI could address selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The five-day pilot programme was oversubscribed, receiving more than 230 applications, and showing a high level of interest in future study options in STEM, particularly in AI.

Selected participants from 23 schools gained insights into different areas of AI, including film and music production, application development, generative AI (GenAI), and the responsible use of AI. Workshops were led by MBZUAI's world-class faculty, alumni, students, and staff, who shared their knowledge on future skill requirements and job opportunities.

The summer school cohort consisted of 24 females and 14 males representing three nationalities, including 36 Emiratis. All of them are interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science and are passionate about learning about real-world applications of AI.

"MBZUAI is committed to ensuring that the next generation understands AI's role in everyday life, is deployed responsibility, and is used as a tool for good," MBZUAI's Provost Professor Timothy Baldwin said. "The overwhelming number of applicants combined with their level of knowledge, creativity for solving real-world problems, and passion to ethically apply their new learnings was impressive."

Dr. Ahmed Sultan Al Shoaibi, Acting Executive Director for Higher Education at ADEK, said, "AI can significantly enhance education when used ethically and responsibly, empowering students to develop critical thinking skills, understand complex topics, and stimulate creativity. Initiatives like the MBZUAI Summer School provide young minds with a unique opportunity to broaden their perspective and gain a deeper understanding of the technologies that will drive transformative change in the years ahead."

The seven project teams presented solutions for food security, sustainable agriculture, protection of marine life, support for minority groups, and mobility applications for safer roads, demonstrating the vast potential of AI in addressing societal and sustainability challenges.

The three winning teams were announced at the closing on Friday: Greenflow, a data-driven farming and portable smart greenhouse system; EcoEats, an AI-powered food redistribution and waste reduction system; and Guardians of the Forest, an AI-powered deforestation and biodiversity protection system.

"Taking part in the MBZUAI Summer School has been a really inspiring experience for me, providing an insight into some of the incredible technologies that are being developed here in the UAE and also enabling me to meet, share ideas, and have fun with students from other schools across the country," participating student and EcoEats team member, Ahmed Saeed Almarashdah from Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School, said.