Artificial Intelligence: Leading the Tech Revolution
What if you could lead the future of tech without writing code? This course empowers students in STEM, the arts, and communications to elevate their AI skills and knowledge. Learning from industry experts, you will explore how AI functions and how to use it responsibly. By building an original AI prototype, you will command the strategic insight required to lead the future with confidence.
Program Dates
Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Eligibility
For students ages 13 and up
Fees
$1,795
Direct Your Future With Artificial Intelligence
The Intelligence Illusion
Explore whether machines can truly think, create, and feel or simply mimic understanding. Learn why humans instinctively assign emotion and intention to AI, and what that reveals about us.
Teaching Machines to Find the Pattern
Analyze how machines learn to recognize patterns, from curve fitting to handwritten digit recognition. Discover how neural networks find meaning in data and how bias shapes what they learn.
Behind the Prompt
Decode the hidden logic of text models like ChatGPT to see how they calculate the next likely word. Experiment with custom instructions and rules to keep automated chatbot responses on track.
AI Vision: Sensors and Robotics
Examine how AI processes real-world sensory inputs like medical x-rays, voice recordings, and self-driving car data. Evaluate how scientists build these specialized models to solve problems in medicine and robotics.
Responsible AI: Law and Ethics
Inspect hidden risks like deepfake videos, biased algorithms, and data privacy leaks in everyday apps. Identify critical habits to protect your personal information and prevent relying too heavily on automated tools.
AI Driven Fields and Majors
Map diverse future career paths across computer science, healthcare, digital design, and business. Trace how modern industries use machine learning and where your skills fit into an AI-shaped workforce.
How You Will Benefit
- Learn how machine learning models use data to spot patterns, make predictions, and drive everyday software.
- Evaluate outputs carefully, spotting hallucinations, hidden bias, misinformation, and unreliable data.
- Practice using large language models safely while exploring real-world applications in robotics, medicine, science, and design.
- Strengthen your problem-solving and critical thinking skills by exploring an original AI prototype for a real-world problem.
- Gain the confidence to set yourself up for future majors and jobs where AI skills give you a competitive edge.
Three Learning Advantages Designed for You
Capstone Project
The course culminates with a Capstone project where you will transition from an AI user to an AI strategist. You will identify a real problem faced by someone you know and design an original AI-powered tool, prototype, or concept to solve it. Using what you have learned about system mechanics, no-code tools, and ethical guardrails, your project will address these questions:
- How will your system specifically work?
- What are the ethical risks?
Mentoring
You’ll receive guidance from a mentor who can support you and deepen your learning experience. You can expect:
- Encouragement and direction on all assignments.
- Inspiration, motivation, and confidence to help you excel in your studies.
- Brainstorming and ideation to help you prepare for your capstone project.
Flexible Learning
- 100% online learning that works with your schedule.
- Flexible format: you’ll learn through video lectures that allow you to tune in anytime that works for you.
- 20-30 hours of total instruction and course work,
- Tech-forward interactions, including engaging multimedia, real-life simulations, and curated assignments.
- Guidance and support from mentors.
Course Designed by Rice University Faculty
Adam Wulf
Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Rice University
Drawing on two decades of working in consumer software startups, Adam teaches Product Management to undergraduates and MBA students at Rice University, as well as entrepreneurship for the NSF I-Corps program. He has mentored startups for 14 years in Houston at Rice University and University of Houston, and serves on the advisory council of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program.
How to Apply
It’s easy. No transcripts or letters of recommendation are needed. Our application requires basic contact information for you and your parent or guardian. Then, tell us why you wish to take this course. Include your personal story through writing, video, photos—or any medium you prefer.
Begin the guided process. It should take only a few minutes to answer the questions.
Want to Know More?
Sign up for more information and we’ll be in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will you be graded? What are assignments like? How much time do you have to turn around a project? When do you find out if you’re admitted? Find answers to your questions here.
Scholarships
We offer need-based scholarships for participating students who exhibit high potential and an inability to pay the full tuition.
- If you haven’t applied to the program, apply here. After submitting your application, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” on the confirmation page to request a scholarship.
- If you’ve already applied to the program, sign in to your profile to check your scholarship status. If we don’t have a scholarship request on file, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” to request a scholarship.