Featured header image

Artificial Intelligence @ Dawson

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies are spreading rapidly, impacting the labour market and generating major transformations in the workforce. Along with these changes come ethical and social issues that will need to be tackled, sooner or later. According to a recent report released by the World Economic Forum on The Future of Jobs, technological breakthroughs such as high-speed mobile internet, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, big-data analytics, and cloud technology will be spearheading companies’ adoption of new technologies between 2018 and 2022.  Furthermore, according to the same report, “in purely quantitative terms, 75 million current job roles may be displaced by the shift in the division of labour between humans, machines and algorithms, while 133 million new job roles may emerge at the same time.”

The education sector is mobilizing to identify the many challenges and opportunities that the proliferation of AI presents. Dawson College is well-positioned to make substantive contributions to this enterprise and to fill an important role in the burgeoning AI ecosystem. Regardless of program of study, all of our students will graduate into a rapidly evolving economy driven by powerful, pervasive and somewhat nebulous technologies The pace and scale of change makes the exact future that awaits them is difficult to predict.

However, as a community and through a variety of approaches and a wide range of initiatives, Dawson College aims to revolutionize college education and better prepare the leaders of tomorrow. We will not delegate this responsibility to undergraduate or graduate studies. Groundbreaking technologies offer great rewards to those who learn to master them, but equally dire consequences to those swept along in the tide of change without a basic understanding of the landscape. Dawson College is in a unique position to influence how the CEGEP network ultimately decides to address this turning point in economic history.

How to get involved

The AI initiative at Dawson is cross-disciplinary and multi-faceted and there is a myriad of ways to get involved.  If you are faculty, there will be regular calls for proposals for research and teaching fellowships.  There is also a Community of Practice that meets a couple of times per month that is open to all.  For those looking to influence the direction of the initiative itself, there is an AI task force composed of members of the Dawson community, which aims to have representation from across the college.  For more information, contact the DawsonAI Project Lead, Joel Trudeau, at jtrudeau@dawsoncollege.qc.ca.

There will also be AI Events often organized and hosted by the AI Teaching and Research Fellows.  The calendar of events will display below when there are upcoming events scheduled.

Dawson AI Student Expo

Join us at Dawson College for a student-centered expo on Friday, April 5, 2024, showcasing innovative AI and data storytelling projects.

D.AI Expo ’24 will feature presentations from Dawson students and faculty, alongside contributions from our partner organizations AI Launch Lab and Mitacs. It is a unique opportunity to explore a spectrum of AI topics undertaken by students in and out of the classroom and to expose how AI can be integrated into education.

Of interest to all educators: Explore how you and your students might use GPT 4.0 profitably and responsibly in the classroom!

 

D.AI Data Challenge 2024

 

Attention all #AI thrill-seekers

DawsonAI and AI Launch Lab are proud to announce an amazing opportunity for students to learn AI through hands-on workshops that take place on Saturdays this fall! This is your opportunity to start gaining the skills to become an AI master.

The 8-week program will have a cohort in Winter 2024, starting Saturday, February 10, 2024. We are now accepting applications — All college students get free access!

 

 

D.AI Data Challenge 2024

Great prizes to be won at this year’s data challenge! No prior experience required for participation!

The challenge is designed to be doable for college students of any background or program. Preparatory exercises will be provided for participants. A workshop will also be given on the morning of Saturday, March 23rd at 10:00AM in 5B.16 in hybrid format. It is highly recommended that students attend in person for maximum benefit but students may follow along virtually. See preliminary schedule below.

To learn more about DawsonAI

Joel Trudeau: jtrudeau@dawsoncollege.qc.ca Robert Stephens:rstephens@dawsoncollege.qc.ca



Last Modified: March 28, 2024