Walmart joins forces with Mark Cuban for AI, high schoolers initiative

American businessman and investor Mark Cuban has teamed up with Microsoft and Walmart for a programme that teaches fundamental artificial intelligence concepts to Dallas public school students.

This kicked off with a four-session course. The 18-hour, free extra-curricular programme involved 20 students from six Dallas ISD high schools, with Mark Cuban’s foundation prioritising applications from low-income schools. Half of the participants were females.

“AI is no longer something in the future. It’s changing every industry today. I wanted to start by educating the kids who will be making the decisions about how AI will impact society,” says Cuban. “Not everyone needs to be an expert, but it’s important for everyone to understand the basics to be an informed citizen.”

A session on machine learning was developed in tandem with the new Walmart Tech Office in Plano, which focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science and Internet of Things. Walmart data scientist Neelabh Pant was on hand to talk about his AI education and career. He then showed students how to use Walmart’s own data to train an intelligent system to accurately predict weekly sales at any of its US stores with a just a few data points.

“We are using technology, data and design to power the future of retail,” Pant comments. “There is so much potential for using emerging technologies and we are excited for the opportunity to inspire the next generation of technologists.”