As the nature of work evolves and organizations begin to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their business systems, a new industry is quickly emerging – and it’s already thriving. From improving automation in manufacturing to solving complex health-care problems facing our society, AI is advancing at a rapid rate – creating new opportunities for businesses and new jobs and career paths for the workforce of tomorrow.
In response to this technological shift, Durham College (DC) launched its Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions, known more commonly as the AI Hub, in 2018. With a growing team of researchers and student AI practitioners, the AI Hub helps smalland- medium-sized enterprises and non-profit organizations uncover crucial business insights through applied research projects, providing them with intelligent and autonomous solutions for greater productivity and growth.
These projects are making a difference in the lives of community members by improving quality of life. In early 2019, researchers began to test the power of AI to make emergency room wait time predictions at Lakeridge Health using Machine Learning. With a goal of improving operational decision-making to enhance the patient’s experience, the project will result in a prototype for an AI-infused recommender system.
As the field of AI grows, so is the AI Hub‘s influence on local industry – offering workshops, sold-out Tech Talks and the Enable AI Summit for professionals to further advance their skill set, all while providing student researchers with opportunities to gain client-centric, real-world industry experience.
This fall, as a natural extension of and complement to the AI Hub, the college welcomed its inaugural class in the Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation (AIDI) graduate certificate program. The first graduate certificate program of its kind in Canada, AIDI focuses on enterprise AI, including off-the-shelf solutions and proprietary AI. By developing cutting edge programs and supporting AI applied research projects, the college is actively training the next cohort of AI professionals to hit the ground running even before they graduate. Keeping pace with a changing world, DC has positioned itself as a leader in AI advancement and education, fostering an atmosphere of innovation so that students, organizations and the workforce can explore, learn, adapt and progress just as quickly as technology does.
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