Jackson State University is expanding access to artificial intelligence education for local high school students through a free AI boot camp designed to prepare young people for a technology-driven future, The Clarion Ledger reports.
The historically Black university’s College of Business will host the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp this fall for Jackson Public Schools students in grades 9-12. The program will give students hands-on experience with generative AI while exploring how the technology is being used across industries.
orwp-incontent-ad1">The boot camp will be held over three Saturdays — Oct. 31, Nov. 7, and Nov. 14 — with technology, transportation, and meals provided at no cost. Applications are open through Sept. 30.
Entrepreneur Mark Cuban, founder of the Mark Cuban Foundation, said the program is intended to make AI education accessible to students regardless of their financial circumstances.
“It’s more critical than ever that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future,” Cuban said in a statement. “This bootcamp will offer an avenue to explore this fascinating field to any student, no matter their means.”
Students will learn about real-world uses of AI in healthcare, business, computer science, sports, arts, and entertainment. Participants will also complete a capstone project that allows them to apply skills developed during the program.
For Jackson State, the partnership represents another opportunity for the HBCU to connect emerging technology with students in the surrounding community.
“We’re opening doors for young people to explore technology and innovation in ways that can truly change their futures,” Alisa Mosely, JSU’s senior director for AI initiatives, said in a statement.
JSU President Denise Jones Gregory said expanding access to emerging technology is also an issue of educational equity.
“At Jackson State University, we believe access to emerging technology should never be determined by zip code or circumstance,” Gregory said in a statement.
The initiative brings AI instruction directly to Jackson students at no cost as schools and employers increasingly incorporate the technology into education and the workplace.
RELATED CONTENT: Jackson State University, Getty Images Join Forces For Photo Exhibition Celebrating JSU’s Homecomings