DARPA Reboots AI Tools for Adult Learning Competition
January 23, 2024 | DARPAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Technological advances and changes in economic conditions are shifting the skills needed to build an adaptive and successful workforce. As underscored in the 2023 National Defense Science & Technology Strategy, the United States cannot create 21st-century capabilities using 20th-century education practices. The World Economic Forum (WEF) further predicts that by 2025, 50% of all workers worldwide will need reskilling to compete in the market. The increasing reliance on technology in jobs across the market has imposed additional challenges for the workforce, especially for those from low-income and historically marginalized populations.
The good news is that recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) can help address these issues with computer-based systems that personalize instruction in real time based on learner responses. According to DARPA experts, these systems can improve educational quality and drastically reduce costs, increasing access to career pathways for all learners, thus closing the skill gaps that limit economic growth.
For the second time, DARPA engaged the Tools Competition to seek ideas for innovative, self-directed tools that empower adult learners to thrive in the modern economy. The “Building an Adaptive & Competitive Workforce” track invites technologists, digital learning platform experts, researchers, students, and educators to propose AI tools that would help adults upskill and reskill in complex subjects, such as data science and STEM. Tools at all phases of ideation and development are eligible.
“Through this competition, DARPA aims to accelerate the development of educational capabilities for upskilling in this rapidly evolving technological landscape,” said Dr. Wil Corvey, AI Tools for Adult Learning program manager in DARPA’s Information Innovation Office. “Amplified attention to STEM and data science applications will be integral to fostering a greater understanding of AI-driven technologies and their potential utilization throughout society.”
Corvey is especially interested in tools that:
- Leverage AI and large language models;
- Enable data science upskilling or reskilling;
- Support adult learners in complex subjects such as STEM fields; and
- Feature tutoring systems and self-directed learning innovations.
Suggested Items
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Precision Tools and Problem-solving With Perfect Point
05/14/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIn an interview with Guest Editor Dan Beaulieu, Alex Girardot, a field applications engineer with Perfect Point, shares his experiences with precision tooling. Alex also discusses a challenging project involving thick boards and small diameter holes in which Carbonite tools with a hybrid design were used. They also discuss the trend toward smaller hole sizes.
iNEMI Packaging Tech Topic Series: Role of EDA in Advanced Semiconductor Packaging
05/13/2024 | iNEMIAdvanced semiconductor packaging with heterogenous integration has made on-package integration of multiple chips a crucial part of finding alternatives to transistor scaling.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: My Role as a Technology Solutions Director
05/02/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOPeter Tranitz, senior director of technology solutions at IPC, shares insights into his role as the design initiative lead. He details his advocacy work, industry support, and the responsibilities of the design initiative committee. The conversation also covers the revamping of standards, the IPC Design Competition, and the implementation of design rules in software tools.
Yamaha to Showcase Latest-generation Assembly Equipment and Software Tools at SMTconnect
04/16/2024 | Yamaha Robotics SMT SectionYamaha Robotics SMT Section will team with its distributor ANS Elektronik to showcase innovations for high-speed surface mount assembly at SMTconnect 2024.
Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality: Prioritizing Manufacturability
04/11/2024 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsRealistic PCB designs should prioritize manufacturability and reliability of the PCB as well as meet the other design requirements. To do so, one must account for the production variables associated with individual manufacturing partners. Understanding and creating robust PCB designs, especially in terms of board manufacturing, requires a lot of attention to detail. When more detail is included in the design, the manufacturing process goes more smoothly, and process yields are higher.