Education, Education, Education! We have a system of educating our children that is no longer fit for purpose. The number of bright kids who leave university with no job prospects and a pile of student debt has sky rocketed in recent decades. In this weeks edition I present my manifesto for Education 2.0: I hope you find it thought provoking

In addition to the education piece, there are some really interesting news stories from this past week and the usual nostalgic look at a piece of tech from my youth that is still with us and has made an impact in our lives. Finally, we’ll look into the world of AI produced art as we give some examples of what delights await with text to image editors.

News

AI in the workforce: IBM have produced a study of over 24,000 executives and workers to try to understand how AI is impacting the workforce. Key takeaway: according to the report 40%+ of the global workforce will need to be upskilled in the next the next three years. Read the report here

UK launches AI powered traffic camera: a trial of a freestanding AI powered camera took place recently in South West England and caught around 300 traffic violations in three days. Is this about a genuine concern for road safety or an indirect but efficient tax raising ploy? Either way, I’m hoping autonomous driving happens quickly! Read more here

Stroke victim walks again thanks to AI: a lady in her 60’s who suffered a paralysing stroke is now walking again thanks to AI embedded trousers! NeuroSkin technology includes sensors and electrodes stimulated by AI to target the muscle groups involved in walking. Read or watch the BBC report here

Another brick in the wall: neuroscientists collected electrical activity in the parts of the brain atuned to music to see if they could reconstruct what the patient was hearing. After listening to the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick in the Wall, part 1” they were able to reconstruct something that shared the cadence of the original when you consider that this was done just by collecting brain waves! Read all about it here

Just One Thing: Education 2.0

As the horizon of the modern age is painted with the silhouette of Artificial Intelligence, it's palpable that the traditional Western education system, rooted as it is in the Industrial Revolution, is outmoded. I’m not simply advocating for a change in classroom accessories: here is a manifesto. We’re on the brink of a colossal paradigm shift. Education 2.0 envisions an environment where institutions go beyond rote memorisation, laying foundations for creativity, adaptability, and resilience. It's not all about resources, though they too are a must, but resourcefulness.

The Evolving Role of the Teacher: The 21st-century teacher isn't merely the sole dispenser of knowledge but a beacon of mentorship. While the Internet brims with data, a teacher's worth is increasingly in nurturing emotional intelligence, fostering original thinking, and inspiring ambition. In the classroom of tomorrow, teachers will be orchestrators of experience - guiding students through real world simulations, fostering peer led discussions, and inspiring transformative, project based endeavours.

Technology’s Integration: Beyond a superficial addition of gadgets, the crux is integrating AI holistically into education. Top to bottom. This implies adaptive learning platforms that intuitively understand when a student is grappling with a concept, offering bespoke resources. Visualise classrooms where virtual reality plunges students into ancient civilizations or AI labs that grant firsthand interaction with emerging tech models. Education needs to lead the adoption of new technologies, not be the laggard. It’s offensive to think that in some countries AI is currently discouraged at school. This needs to stop now.

Students of the Future: The trinity of 'reading, writing, arithmetic' is foundational but nowhere like sufficient anymore. The modern student must be equipped with data literacy, digital ethics, adaptability, and an acute understanding of AI's implications. Our responsibility is to nurture individuals who don't merely coexist with AI but are the pioneers, architects, innovators, and ethical overseers in an AI pervasive world.

Redefining Higher Education: For generations, a degree from a reputed institution was perceived as a passport to prosperity. Yet, as AI reshapes industries, will a traditional four-year degree sustain its clout? Emerging educational avenues like nano-degrees, intensive bootcamps, and specialised online courses offer hyper-targeted skills in a fraction of traditional academia's duration. Universities need a renaissance, likely emphasising experiential learning, hands-on research, and cross-disciplinary explorations, ensuring students emerge as holistic thinkers and doers.

Skills for a New Age: The notion that one skill would serve an individual for life is antiquated. In the Age of AI, what's indispensable is a hybrid of human empathy, creativity, and technical prowess. The future belongs to biotechnologists with a flair for design, engineers with empathy, and artists who understand algorithms. It's about fostering multifaceted personalities who bring an array of skills to problem-solving.

Lifelong Learning: The rapidly improving nature of AI implies that our learning can never truly be 'complete.' Lifelong learning transitions from being an aspirational phrase to an absolute necessity. Whether through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), immersive workshops, or AI-facilitated personal tutors, the future will see an emphasis on perpetual upskilling. The path to success is to take massive, determined action. Continuous, self-driven education embodies this mantra.

Embracing Global Collaboration: One thing we haven’t touched upon is the importance of global collaboration in the Age of AI. As AI transcends borders, it's imperative that our education does too. Exchange programs, international research collaborations, and global digital classrooms will be vital in fostering a generation that thinks globally, understands diverse cultures, and can work seamlessly across boundaries.

Emphasis on Well-being and Mental Health: The pace of AI-driven changes can be overwhelming. The future education system needs to prioritise mental well-being, teaching students techniques of mindfulness, stress management, and emotional resilience. It’s about crafting holistic beings who are not only technically adept but also emotionally balanced and mentally robust.

Critical Thinking & Ethical Judgement: In a world abundant with information and dominated by persuasive algorithms, the ability to critically analyse information becomes indispensable. Schools must place heightened emphasis on fostering discernment skills. With AI’s potential ethical quandaries, students need a firm grounding in moral reasoning, ensuring they make decisions that benefit humanity at large.

In closing, Education 2.0 isn't merely a fresh iteration, it's a revolution. As we pivot to a reality intertwined with super-intelligence, our education system must be fluid, dynamic, and ever responsive. It's imperative to craft an ecosystem that's not reactionary but visionary.

This era beckons a collective commitment. Let's sculpt a future where our education doesn't just grudgingly adapt to change but fervently drives it. Let's envisage a world where the symphony of human creativity and AI’s capabilities crafts a brighter tomorrow. And most importantly, let's ensure our young minds are not just users of technology but the ethically conscious architects of tomorrow.

Remember When…

While it may seem commonplace now, back then, this appliance was the pinnacle of modern convenience and a testament to how technology was reshaping our kitchens and lifestyles.

Growing up, I recall the day my dad brought home our first freezer. He managed a prominent department store, and often had access to new stuff before anyone else. When he introduced us to the freezer, it felt like he was unveiling a treasure chest, its icy interior ready to safeguard our food's freshness and longevity. I remember him saying that this would change the way people lived and worked. I don’t think he was wrong, and it still plays a part in modern life today.

Before the advent of the freezer, preserving food was difficult. People relied heavily on canning, drying, and salting methods or, more probably, shopped more frequently. The freezer changed all that. Now, meats, fruits, and even dairy could be stored for months without compromising on taste or nutrition. Not only did this mean fewer trips to the supermarket, but it also ushered in new categories of foods. Think about the myriad of frozen dinners, desserts, and appetisers that became available. Pre-cooked meals were suddenly a reality, and trying exotic foods from around the world was only a freezer door away. Sometimes, however, technology advances can bring the law of unintended consequences into play: as a direct result of the convenience of the freezer, people consumed less fresh produce and, with the advent of frozen ready meals, probably started eating more salt too.

But it wasn’t just about convenience. The freezer represented progress. It was a symbol of a world that was quickly advancing, where time-saving innovations were increasingly entering our homes. For families like mine, this was exciting and reassuring – a sign that we were moving forward.

Practical Prompts

The Renaissance of AI-Generated Art: Text to Image Marvels

Art, for the longest time, has been a realm where human creativity reigned supreme. We often believed that the intricate web of emotions, experiences, and ingenuity couldn’t be replicated or replaced. Creative work, with its deeply personal essence, was thought to be AI-resistant. And yet, in a surprising twist, art has become one of the first fields to be revolutionised by Artificial Intelligence, so much so that we have artists up in arms about the perils of AI art and Hollywood writers and actors still on strike complaining about Generative AI being used in movies. That being said, I’ll assume that you are neither a professional artist, screenwriter or actor and that we can discover something new together!

Enter the era of AI-generated art. Using simple text to image generators, we are witnessing a seismic shift in how art is created. By inputting a simple phrase or description, these AI models breathe visual life into textual ideas, crafting images that are often stunning, surreal, and sometimes surpassing human imagination.

Leading this movement are platforms like Stable Diffusion, MidJourney, and Dalle-2. With their innovative algorithms, they're redefining the boundaries of artistic creation. These tools don't just replicate or mimic existing styles; they invent, imagine, and inspire.

But what does this mean for you and I? Suddenly, art is within our grasp, no matter your talent level. If you can craft a sentence, you can create awe inspiring art. The blend of human creativity with AI’s computational prowess offers a vast canvas of possibilities, expanding the horizons of what we once thought art could be. Here are some examples, from super basic to advanced. Feel free to copy them and paste them into any of the text to image editors mentioned above. If y9ou have an Open AI account then you already have access to Dalle-2. I use MidJourney for art, so these prompts are geared up for that. In Dalle-2 you don’t need the “/imagine prompt:” at the start. Nothing that follows is an actual photograph!

/imagine prompt: Overview of Tokyo at night

his simple prompt leaves the AI to come up with most of the detail, but it looks like Tokyo at night. However, if you give more context and detail, you can craft something that is much more in line with what you might be imagining. Here’s a more detailed example:

/imagine prompt: A hyper-realistic, high-resolution 8K photograph, capturing a medium view of the vibrant Akihabara district in Tokyo at night, filled with a rich palette of neon lights and urban life.

By telling the AI what you want you’re more likely to get it. However, if you want to get even more granular, you can add in as much detail as you want, by fleshing it out, as below:

/imagine prompt: A hyper-realistic, high-resolution 8K photograph, capturing a medium view of the vibrant Akihabara district in Tokyo at night, filled with a rich palette of neon lights and urban life.
Specifications:
•	Format: High-resolution 8K digital photograph.
•	Composition: A medium view of the Akihabara district, capturing bustling streets filled with pedestrians, colorful storefronts, vibrant billboards, and iconic architecture. The composition should encompass a balanced mix of the streetscape, buildings, and the night sky.
•	Location: Akihabara, Tokyo. A scene that represents the characteristic vibrancy and energy of this iconic district.
•	Colors: A myriad of neon colors from the electronic billboards and storefronts, contrasting against the darker night sky and the architectural elements.
•	Lighting: The scene will be predominantly lit by the neon lights and electronic displays, casting a kaleidoscope of colors on the streets and buildings. The contrast between the illuminated areas and shadows will create a dynamic range of tones, enhancing the hyper-realistic aspect of the image.
•	Mood: The image should reflect the energetic and futuristic atmosphere of Akihabara, evoking a sense of excitement and fascination associated with Tokyo's night life.
•	Resolution: The photograph should be captured in an 8K resolution, providing an extraordinary level of detail and depth, adding to the hyper-realistic aesthetic.
Execution:
Given the nighttime, urban context, a Sony A7S III camera with a Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art lens would be an excellent choice for capturing this photograph, providing excellent low-light performance and sharp, detailed imagery. —q 2 —v 5.2

/

The thing about to text to image editors is that they are improving dramatically, and very quickly. New features and revisions are launched almost monthly. It is now very easy to create photo realistic compositions that look like real life. Similarly, logos, infographics and painings “in the style of” are again super easy. I’ll leave you with this one:

/imagine prompt: Akihabara at night, oil painting, in the style of Van Gogh

That’s it for this week. I’ll be back next Thursday with more on the wonders of AI. Follow me on Twitter (@bornanalog1) to get a daily dose of this kind of stuff. You can also contact me at [email protected] Thanks for reading…