VIEWPOINT
the talent pool of prospective AI pro- fessionals. Unfortunately, there are numerous barriers that have histor- ically excluded women and Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and non-binary individuals from tech fields and, ulti- mately, AI. It’s imperative that we prioritize actionable changes to pre- vent further homogenization in these fields and the technologies they produce. For many, a role in the tech indus- try can provide a level of financial power, social capital, and genera- tional wealth they may not have been able to otherwise access. This shift in economic circumstances ripples out beyond the students themselves, buoying their families and communi- ties, as well. There are a number of tactical efforts that counselors can employ to encourage students to consider exploring a future in AI. First and foremost, it’s important to edu- cate oneself on the latest happen- ings in the industry, as well as AI’s significance in various fields such
as technology, health care, finance, and more. In computer science, as well, it’s worth noting that traditional programmer roles are about to be dramatically reshaped by generative AI and will no longer be the sure bet for economic stability that they once were. It’s estimated that 60 percent of the design of new websites and mobile apps will be handled by gen- erative design AI by 2026, according to Gartner, a global research and con- sulting company for businesses in the IT sector. Counselors can pass on this knowl- edge to students, highlighting the exciting opportunities AI offers in addition to showing how ubiquitous the technology is becoming. Further to that end, counselors can showcase the diverse career paths available in AI, including roles in machine learning, data science, robotics, natural language processing, and computer vision. Emphasizing the high demand for AI professionals and the potential for lucrative salaries can be motivating for students.
Getting their foot in the door in machine
learning will enhance their career prospects exponentially. Their earning potential dramatically increases with some machine learning on their résumé. That’s good for them personally and for the industry as a whole to avoid socioeconomic and cultural biases that people might not be aware of unless you have people with more diverse backgrounds. Cody Glickman Instructor and Curriculum Developer AI4ALL
Students at a previous AI4ALL high school program in partnership with Stanford University explored cutting edge AI research.
42 • THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION
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