The AI literacy campaign will include citizen think-ins, workshops, public participation events and a national roadshow.
Adapt, the Research Ireland Centre at Dublin City University, in partnership with Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), has secured national funding to lead Ireland’s first dedicated AI literacy campaign for older adults.
The Age-Friendly AI initiative, which is backed by Research Ireland’s Discover Programme, will engage more than 60,000 older people across Ireland in order to empower them to navigate the challenges and opportunities of AI, and to understand concepts related to the technology.
The nationwide campaign will include citizen think-ins, co-creation workshops, public participation events and a national roadshow, and will broach topics such as data privacy and misinformation.
Dr Emma Clarke, engaged research lead at Adapt, stated that the initiative will build upon the centre’s previous AI literacy programmes such as #DiscussAI.
“This new initiative will leverage Adapt public engagement formats such as citizens’ think-ins to prioritise reaching communities often excluded from AI conversations, ensuring their ideas contribute to co-creating an AI literacy initiative that serves them,” she said. “Taking a human-centred approach is vital for the positive societal impact of AI.”
The Age-Friendly AI programme, which was launched last month, will be led by researchers based at TU Dublin along with the Education and Public Engagement (EPE) team at Adapt. The programme’s partners include Age Action, Age Friendly Ireland, CSLinc, the Centre for Smart Ageing, Insight, the National Disability Authority, the RDI Hub, Senior Times, Workday and evaluation partners Stickydot.
“AI is rapidly changing our world, and it’s crucial that older adults are not left behind,” said Paula Kelly, the initiative’s lead at TU Dublin. “This initiative will ensure that older people have a voice in the development and use of AI, and will help to bridge the digital divide and create a more inclusive future.”
AI literacy is becoming increasingly important as the tech becomes more and more involved in various facets of modern society.
While the need for AI literacy grows in the working world, the threats posed by the technology in the realms of misinformation and cybersecurity require a whole-of-society awareness of its capabilities.
Just a few weeks ago, BearingPoint’s Ellie Fitzpatrick spoke to SiliconRepublic.com about the importance of widespread AI literacy, stating that it will be key to navigating the growing complexities of the digital age.
“Many people are aware of AI’s presence in their daily lives, but a deeper understanding of how it works and its implications is often lacking,” said Fitzpatrick. “Without sufficient literacy, we risk widening the digital divide and creating a society that is unprepared for the demands of a data and AI-driven economy.”
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