A private school in Dubai has teamed up with a leading US university to offer pupils the opportunity to study artificial intelligence.
Dubai Heights Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will educate children in AI and other topics such as science, technology, engineering and maths, so-called STEM subjects.
The classes will be available to Grade 7 pupils in the new academic year and will be taught in Grades 8 and 9 at a later stage.
School authorities hope that eventually all pupils will benefit from the MIT syllabus.
The project, which will last for an initial three-year period, has been launched to train pupils in areas that are “transforming today’s world”.
“Today’s reality is that if you are using online web services, mobile apps, smartphones, or social media, you are already interacting with AI-powered systems and technologies,” said Rob Hitchings, the school’s vice principal and head of secondary.
“We want to prepare pupils to be ethical designers and conscientious users of AI technologies.”
Mr Hitchings said job opportunities in AI were growing rapidly around the world.
“The future is very bright for pupils who have skills in computational thinking and artificial intelligence,” he said.
The feedback from children and teachers will play a key role in the development of the course.
“Pupil and teacher input will be invaluable in ensuring activities are both relevant and engaging for everyone,” said Mr Hitchings.
“One of the most exciting elements is that the curriculum can be rolled out to other pupils around the world.”
