By William H. Kelly III
(JACKSON, Miss.) – Jackson State University (JSU) is an awardee of the Generative AI Skills Challenge launched by data.org. The Generative AI Skills Challenge called for best-in-class organizations to train and upskill teams on generative AI to drive social impact and advance socioeconomic mobility.
“We are excited about this award in the College of Liberal Arts since it aligns perfectly with our vision to provide students with a deeper understanding of how rapid advances in technology coupled with the arts, humanities, and social sciences can offer a humanistic approach in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges,” said Rico Chapman, Ph.D., dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
The Mississippi AI Collaborative, representing North America, is one of five awardees selected from nearly 600 applications across 93 countries. The Mississippi AI Collaborative consists of JSU’s College of Liberal Arts, which houses the Department of Art, and the JSU Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, Mississippi Coding Academies, The Mississippi Chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (MS CSTA), and The Bean Path.
A central feature of this endeavor is the formation of an AI Agency, poised to become the nerve center for Jackson State student skill enhancement and small business digital upgrades. The agency is housed in The Bean Path, founded by Nashlie Sephus, Ph.D., and will champion community-driven generative AI initiatives, propelling local empowerment and innovative breakthroughs. Students part of the agency will be operating as paid apprenticeships.
As the co-principal investigator, Brittany Myburgh, Ph.D., served as the lead JSU representative, bringing a critical eye to the intersection of art, technology, and society.
“This project is about more than just technology; it’s about shaping an equitable and inclusive future where education and AI go hand in hand to open new doors for our students and educators,” said Myburgh, a JSU assistant professor of art history.
In October, JSU launched its AI-thon, a year-long AI skills competition to support individuals and organizations with digital and AI capabilities by earning a career essential in Generative AI professional certificate from LinkedIn Learning. The grant allows the AI-thon to be available to all Jackson State students and curious learners across Mississippi.
“This will offer our students a real-world application of the theoretical skills related to generative AI that we’ve been talking about in the classroom. In our junior graphic design courses, we’ve been integrating generative AI, but we’ve also talked to them about how to use it critically while asking some of those ethical questions related to generating art, graphic design and social media,” Myburgh said.
In addition to financial support, awardees will receive access to technical resources, technical guidance from Microsoft AI experts, including Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, and data training.
With Microsoft’s aid, data.org’s grant serves as a pivotal marker in the Mississippi AI Collaborative’s commitment to promoting digital inclusion, socioeconomic mobility, and skill acquisition for historically marginalized groups. The initiative is on track to deliver AI fluency to over 4,000 Mississippians by June 2024, focusing on underserved communities.
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