SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – With artificial intelligence, it can be said that the cat is out of the bag and that working with AI is a matter of when, not if.
In front of a room full of DSU students at the Beacom Institute of Technology, a panel discussed various ways students and young professionals can learn about the diverse range of AI platforms emerging, doing so safely and responsibly.
David De Jong, Dean of the College of Education & Human Performance, said the acceptance of AI, especially in schools, has increased dramatically. He said there is a great opportunity to introduce AI to kids as young as elementary school age and teach them how to think for themselves, and then use AI to challenge their knowledge.
“I think the more we use that ourselves and model it and the more we get our students at an age-appropriate level to model that framework, the better we’ll be,” De Jong said.
A recent Gallup study showed that learning these skills will be necessary, with 40% of U.S. workers saying they have used AI at their job in 2025.
“You’re never going to outsmart it, but you need to learn what’s behind it. You need to go under the surface and understand what it is you’re using so that you ensure that you understand the output that’s coming back to you,” Sioux Falls Attorney at Law Kasey Olivier said.
Many panelists said a crucial part of learning and using these AI platforms is not letting it think for you and actually challenging the platform itself.
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