Southern Connecticut State to Offer Training in AI, Quantum Tech

Source Domain: www.govtech.com

(TNS) — While many fear artificial intelligence is going to steal their jobs in the manufacturing sector, a Connecticut university has a different idea.

The truth is, “No, a person who understands AI is going to replace you in your job,” said Jennifer Ricker, associate director of Southern Connecticut State University’s Office of Workforce and Lifelong Learning.

To that end, the SCSU department will soon offer expanded workforce training in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies to help meet Connecticut’s rapidly growing demand for AI-skilled workers.

As with dozens of other courses offered by OWLL, the micro-credential doesn’t result in college credit, but is designed to provide an advantage in the workforce.

It’s about “upscaling” the current workforce, Ricker said, noting that students in high school and college are already using artificial intelligence to different degrees.

“The young know better than the the people working the last 20 years,” Ricker said. “How do we make sure people now have an understanding?”

Ricker said AI will soon be playing a huge role in manufacture of goods in all areas, including quality control, safety, production, efficiency.

Managers and those who work on the floor will turn to AI for fast answers, questions that used to take a week to calculate or answer will soon take minutes.

OWLL Director Amy Feest said AI has the ability to look beyond what humans can and “almost looks at stuff from a super human capacity.”

Ricker said, for instance, there’s an artificial intelligence platform that will send an email if a machine used in production makes an unusual sound. That sound possibly indicating a malfunction, might not be noticed so quickly by the humans working, she said.

The SCSU directors said the goal is to offer courses that are industry specific.

The latest enhancement of Southern’s existing AI in manufacturing program was…

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