Mentors guided students through the AWS console, demonstrating how to build safeguards, strengthen security and consider the human impact behind the AI systems while discussing real-world use cases across industries.
During the step-by-step session, scholars learned how to define guardrails, configure content filters, add defined topics, implement safeguards, test and fine-tune their configurations, and, finally, enforce the newly established guardrails on the platform.
“The main idea is to engage with students and help them learn what responsible AI is and how to implement it,” Arunachalam said. “It is going to be a very good skill to have, because every single enterprise who is serious about AI is going to need to have expertise in generative AI plus responsible AI. So, that's what we hope to impart to the students.”
Students on gaining critical skills, understanding responsible AI
Jesse Lopez Martin, an undergraduate civil engineering student at the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, said he plans to apply his new skills as he starts his career path.
“I don’t just have my degree, but also this skill that I'm going to be adding to the team, making me more valuable and more of an asset,” Lopez Martin said.
Many scholars echoed similar goals as they worked through the AWS console. Aarav Matalia is an undergraduate computer science student worker at the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, working as a Cloud Developer for ASU Enterprise Technology. He said he is looking forward to experimenting on the platform even more.
“Responsible AI is pretty important, and having it in place within production systems is the most important for critical business use cases,” Matalia said.
“In the beginning the students weren't very clear about what responsible AI is or what “guardrail” even means,” Arunachalam said. “But now they understand the relevance to the industry and what industry needs, and more importantly, how they can fulfill that gap without much coding expertise. It’s going to be a big differentiator between them and other students who use basic AI.”
For the AI Scholars Program, the workshop reflects a broader commitment ASU has to listening to student needs and engaging with partnerships across the university to meet them. By bringing together academic programs, industry experts and Enterprise Technology teams, the university continues to create opportunities that put students ahead of the curve as they prepare to lead an AI-driven workforce.