THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Through the AI4GA initiative, Thomas County students are learning how artificial intelligence is shaping their futures.
- Teacher Will Hanna was among the first trained by top AI researchers from Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Florida.
- The course teaches students about neural networks, machine learning, and real-world applications like self-driving cars and GPS.
- Watch the video to learn more about the program, funded by Google and the National Science Foundation, that is now expanding to schools in Texas, Florida, and New York.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
AI is no longer just a tech buzzword; it's something Thomas County middle schoolers are learning to use at just 13 years old.
I'm showing you how these students are getting hands-on with artificial intelligence and learning skills that could shape their future careers.
"So there are quite a few initiatives focusing on AI through all grade levels. A couple of the professors are even involved in different research projects. However, there was a lack for middle school. So that's a great band that they decided to focus on," said Hanna
That's why teacher Will Hanna was invited to join the very first group in the AI4GA program short for Artificial Intelligence for Georgia.
He trained directly with professors from Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, and the University of Florida, then brought that experience back to his own classroom.
This class is the only one of its kind in the state, funded by the National Science Foundation and Google, and designed just for middle schoolers.
"Students are very aware that these technologies exist. They use it all the time through social media, through even their autocorrect when they're typing. That's all versions of AI that they're interacting with already. So if we can share an understanding of how it works and a concept that it's not just magic, that it's fallible, that it's all based on math, that's the lessons we really want students to take away," said Hanna.
That's the goal: to turn curiosity into understanding.
It's not just about using AI—it's about learning how it's programmed, how it makes decisions, and how mistakes can happen.
"I've always had a positive sight on AI, and after learning more about it, I still do," said McLain
13-year-old Lyra McLain says learning how AI works has only made her more excited about her future in tech.
"For a while now, I've been planning on becoming a robotics engineer. I know that has to do with a lot of AI, but yeah, that's what I've been planning on to do," said McLain.
Students here are learning how tools like GPT work and how AI connects to real-world jobs and systems.
"And we also learned about LiDAR and radar and GPS, and how AI is also really beneficial from that," said Patel.
Hanna says now it's expanding across the country, with Texas, Florida, and New York already on board and 50 more teachers getting trained.
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