Generic computer, keyboard, mouse photo. PC: Fox 11 Online
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Universities of Wisconsin is partnering with UW Credit Union to provide free education on the basic understandings of artificial intelligence.
On Tuesday, speakers introduced a new online course on the emerging technology of generative artificial intelligence. It’s available to anyone in Wisconsin.
“The goal is not to turn someone into an AI expert; the goal is to give people a practical starting point,” said Emily Laird, UW-Stout AI Integration Technologist and author of the course.
The series, called AI Skills Access Passport (ASAP), consists of seven brief videos, each approximately two minutes long, that explain what AI is, how it is being used, and the opportunities and challenges it presents.
“ASAP helps people answer so many questions around AI, but primarily it helps you start with a foundational knowledge of what AI is, how to stay safe with it, and how do you tell what’s real and what’s not in an AI enabled world,” Laird explained.
The free video series is hosted on a Universities of Wisconsin webpage that also serves as a gateway to additional AI-related courses, programs, and educational resources available across the state’s 13 public universities.
“If you think about the Wisconsin idea, that the Universities should impact the entire state of Wisconsin and beyond, this is just clear evidence of what we offer to the state of Wisconsin,” said UW President Jay Rothman. “We are building AI into curricula across the Universities so our students are not only AI literate when they come out, but most importantly that they have those durable skills, the ability to think critically, to discern fact from fiction, to interact with human beings.”
UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Manohar Singh said the new courses are an addition to the college’s already expanding AI offerings.
“We already have two certificate programs launched. We have an AI trailblazers group, that is a mix of some industry partners, some of my faculty colleagues, some of the administration, some staff members,” Singh explained. “They’re leading this, we should call it an AI revolution within our ecosystem.”
The courses are free to take and are funded by the UW Credit Union. It cost around $25,000 to get the program up and running.
As more people get access to AI training, a new report shows why that matters. Anthropic’s latest economic index finds AI isn’t replacing most jobs, it’s reshaping them.
The biggest takeaway? Workers who know how to use AI are getting a major advantage. The report shows AI is already helping with complex tasks like writing and coding, often saving time and boosting productivity.
But the benefits are not evenly spread. Experts say people who learn AI skills now could be better positioned as workplaces continue to change.
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