<p>From smart virtual assistants and self-driving cars to digital health and fraud prevention systems, AI technology is transforming almost every aspect of our daily lives—and education is no different. For all its promise, the rise of AI, like any new technology, raises some pressing ethical and equity questions.</p>
<p>How can we ensure that such a powerful tool can be accessed by all students regardless of background? </p>
<p>Inspired by this call to action, USC researchers have created a low-cost, accessible learning kit to help college and high school students build their own “robot friend.” Students can personalize the robot’s “body,” program the robot to mimic their head posture, and learn about AI ethics and fairness in an engaging, accessible way.</p>
<p>The system is outlined in a new study, titled <em>“<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.01647" target="_blank">Build Your Own Robot Friend: An Open-Source Learning Module for Accessible and Engaging AI Education</a>,” </em>presented this week at the <a href="https://aaai.org/conference/aaai/" target="_blank">AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence</a>, education symposium track. </p>