Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving and changing the landscape of the workplace. In Westchester, there are a variety of programs for students and career professionals to learn AI fundamentals, problem-solving skills, and specifics in machine learning, big data, and more.
Data Science at SUNY Westchester Community College
SUNY Westchester Community College offers students an introduction to data science and machine learning program. The program is project-based so students can practice using their skills to create solutions, says Romina Ganopolsky, a program specialist in WCC’s Professional Development Center. Students work on several projects such as analyzing a big database of patients and their diverse medical histories.
They also work with language processing models on websites like Yelp to interpret reviews with a negative or positive trend. To implement these solutions, students use the programming language Python.
“All of these technical processes can be used in different industries from entertainment to finance, education, retail, healthcare, and customer service,” says Ganopolsky.
Students in the program at WCC often go on to work in roles like data scientist, machine learning expert, data analytics expert, associate data scientist, data engineer, and research analyst.
The program does not cover ChatGPT because its focus is on teaching students the basics of data science and machine learning so they understand how the technologies work. Once students gain expertise in the technologies, Ganopolsky says AI can be a useful tool.
“I think the use of AI allows students to get work done faster,” says Ganopolsky. “AI is great to automate processes and repeated tasks, as long as the students understand what is being done for them.”
The AI Landscape at Pace University
Pace University offers 29 courses that incorporate AI into the curriculum. AI was first introduced in the Seidenberg School in 1997. One computer science professor, Dr. Christelle Scharff, recently conducted a research project with students in which they used African fashion to correct AI bias. It involved expanding a dataset to be more inclusive and address challenges like misclassifying non-Western garments.
“This was a use case about fairness and inclusion,” says Scharff. “We took the example of African fashion because if we want AI to be more inclusive, we need more data available.”
Every student in the Seidenberg School takes an introductory computing course to learn skills and fundamentals in the AI landscape. The course includes different aspects of AI such as the importance of data, models, and ChatGPT code so students understand what’s happening behind the scenes of AI. The school also offers more advanced classes in machine learning, data mining, deep learning, and advanced computer vision pattern recognition.
“AI is another tool that makes us more productive, permits us to get information, and helps us learn,” says Scharff. “But there are limitations to AI, and everyone needs to use critical thinking skills because it’s not always right.”
Tools for Career Professionals
For career professionals hoping to gain skills in the AI landscape, the Business Council of Westchester offers a program called StarPower 2 that teaches traditional leadership skills with AI. The program starts on September 26 and includes six virtual sessions.
The program targets mid- to senior-level leaders with a minimum of three to 10 years of leadership experience who are looking to enhance their leadership skills and learn how to incorporate generative AI technologies into their work. The program will be instructed by Kathy D’Agostino, an AI transformation expert and trainer at Win at Business Coaching, LLC.
“I’m passionate about making AI simple and powerful for every business, no matter how big or small they are,” says D’Agostino. “I think it’s important to find an AI training class that’s practical and will save you time at work.”
D’Agostino points out that working with AI usually pays off. She sees that AI helps employees save time on mundane tasks which allows them to spend more time on projects they care about. Her approach to AI is all about putting people first and showing them how to use the tools to get the results they want.
“I think it’s not just about the tools and apps, but it’s also about experimenting with AI and finding people who will help you learn it,” says D’Agostino.
Related: Westchester Businesses Welcome Artificial Intelligence
