AI Workshop Connects Seniors and Students In Flower Mound

A unique initiative is bringing together different generations in Flower Mound, Texas, through the power of artificial intelligence. The AI Equity Project, a nonprofit dedicated to AI education, is launching a new workshop designed to help older adults get comfortable with modern AI tools, with local high school students serving as their guides.

Bridging the Digital Divide with a Human Touch

The core goal of the workshop is to create a comfortable learning environment that benefits everyone involved. It allows seniors to learn about a transformative technology from young, digital natives, while also helping the student guides develop their communication and teaching skills.

"It really makes for a great community bonding experience," said Kiran Raja, founder of The AI Equity Project. "High schoolers are digital natives, they grew up in this era of AI and they get to gain communication skills… those conversations make the adult participants feel more comfortable." Raja emphasized the importance of including older adults in the AI conversation and recognizing their capacity to learn and adapt.

A Hands On Introduction to Creative AI

The first event, held at the Flower Mound Public Library, will focus on a fun and creative application of AI: image generation and enhancement. Participants are encouraged to bring in old photographs to learn how to restore and enhance them using AI. The student guides will walk them through the process of describing details, structuring effective prompts, and refining the AI's output.

"Participants are going to learn how to create art or postcards and enhance old photos," Raja explained. "This is something that actually requires a bit of skill, but the way the workshops are structured, it really helps them accomplish it." He also noted that absolutely no prior technical experience is necessary to benefit from the workshop, and there are still spots available for those interested.

A Pilot Program for Community Growth

This Flower Mound workshop serves as the first step in a larger pilot program aimed at boosting AI literacy in local communities. The AI Equity Project plans to build on this initial event to offer more advanced and specialized classes in the future.

"This is like the pilot workshop to get everyone interested and then from there, it’s just only going to get better," said Raja. "The skill that you learn from this, it’s amazing, so they’re really learning how to get the most out of these tools." The long-term vision is to show how AI can be a powerful and impactful tool for necessary daily tasks.

Fostering Responsible AI Use

Beyond technical skills, the workshops will also cover how to use AI responsibly, securely, and professionally. Raja expressed his pride in the high school students volunteering their time, seeing it as a positive step toward building a future where technology is used for good.

"I think that needs to be the biggest focus of everyone in the AI sphere, just using it to benefit people’s lives," he stated. "With the younger generation volunteering like this, we’re setting up the next generation of AI professionals who are interested in using it for good, not just to make money."

Get Involved and Learn More

The AI Equity Project is already planning to expand, with another event being considered for Little Elm. The organization also challenges its members to use AI to create solutions for real-world problems.

To sign up for the upcoming workshop, you can register on the Flower Mound Public Library’s website.

To find out more about the nonprofit's mission and work, visit The AI Equity Project's website.