AI Apprenticeship: 10 transformative lessons from learning AI by building it
The AI Apprenticeship online course offers a hands-on approach to learning about generative AI, specifically designed for professionals in digital governance, diplomacy, and international relations. Through this course, participants will acquire the skills necessary to navigate the changes AI is bringing to institutions worldwide.
The AI Apprenticeship course opened my eyes to the potential of AI, and I am now quite enthusiastic about learning more. I plan to use my learnings as a base to explore many more resources and, thanks to your course, I am not afraid to experiment and develop practical agents that will support my work.
– Ms Sarah Ann Cumberland, Head of Digital Unit, Department of Communications, WHO, Switzerland
Everyone in the community of diplomats, officials, and experts dealing with AI in international relations should participate in the AI Apprenticeship course. With relatively modest time and effort investment, you gain a unique and deep insight into the technology shaping today’s global governance institutions and our organisations’ debates and practices. Learning AI by doing AI is the ideal approach. After this course, you will understand AI’s potential and inherent limitations, and you will be able to ask the right questions to the right people about AI.
– Dr Michal Natorski, Assistant Professor, Maastricht University/UNU-MERIT, The Netherlands
I signed up for the AI Apprenticeship course to get a better grasp of the basics of AI. It turned out to be both engaging and insightful; it gave me the foundational knowledge I was missing. Now, I am eager to build on what I have gained and to apply it.
– Ms Folake Olagunju, Program Officer, Internet & Cybersecurity, ECOWAS Commission
As a young researcher in digital diplomacy and global governance, taking part in this course was an enriching and timely experience. It offered not only theoretical knowledge but also a practical understanding of how generative AI works. The skills I gained have deepened my understanding of the challenges AI poses to diplomacy and governance and will play a key role in shaping my future research endeavours.
– Ms Ivana Dunjić, Research Assistant, Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies, Institute of International Politics and Economics (IIPE), Serbia
The course integrates both theoretical and practical components. In the theoretical section, participants will gain a thorough understanding of key AI concepts, while the practical segment will allow them to apply this knowledge by creating their own AI assistant using generative AI tools. Throughout their course projects, participants will leverage their expertise in areas such as diplomacy, international relations, and digital governance to create AI tools that will help optimise their daily jobs and develop skills that are essential for leadership in AI governance and diplomacy.
The course will last for 8 weeks, and participants who complete the course will receive a certificate awarded by Diplo. The most creative and successful participants will be offered the opportunity to join Diplo’s research and teaching activities.
The AI Apprenticeship course is part of the Diplo AI Campus capacity development programme.
The AI Apprenticeship course is based on active, hands-on learning. Participants will:
The course lasts for 8 weeks:
Director of Digital Diplomacy, Diplo
Executive Director, Diplo
The AI Apprenticeship will be of interest to:
The course consists of three bi-weekly modules, each combining knowledge acquisition with skill development:
As participants will be working on their own projects involving data collection and chatbot development, they will need to propose a topic of interest for their chatbot and underlying research. They can propose a topic relevant to international relations, diplomacy, or digital governance or select one from those found at Diplo topics page and DW Observatory topics page.
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The AI Apprenticeship online course is designed with an active, hands-on, and collaborative approach to learning, incorporating a high level of interaction over an 8-week period. The course is divided into 3 thematic units (modules), each lasting 2 weeks.
In the first week of each module, the focus is on theory. Participants engage with course materials and deepen their understanding of the topics. This week concludes with an online class meeting where participants and lecturers discuss the material in depth.
The second week of each module is dedicated to practical work. During this time, participants focus on developing their AI assistants, enabling them to apply theoretical knowledge in practice. At the end of the week, there will be an online open-door session where participants can ask questions and seek assistance from lecturers.
Course materials and the necessary tools for online interaction and course tasks are provided in a virtual classroom.
For successful completion, this course requires a minimum of 4 to 6 hours of study time per week. This includes reading and annotating course module texts, participating in class meetings, and completing practical work assignments.
Applicants should have:
Applicants are encouraged to actively explore scholarship funding from local or international institutions.
Fill out the short form to start your application process for this course. You will receive an email with instructions on how to continue.
Applying for financial assistance? Please indicate this on the application form, upload your CV, and include a motivation statement that should cover:
Please note that financial assistance from Diplo is available only to applicants from developing countries!
Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available in the course.
Diplo reserves the right to cancel this course if enrolment is insufficient. In case of cancellation, Diplo will notify applicants shortly after the application deadline. Applicants who have paid an application fee may apply this fee towards another course or receive a refund.
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