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Microsoft Thailand, in collaboration with the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) and SCB Academy, is spearheading an initiative to elevate digital skills for the AI era. Together, they launched the “Hour of AI,” as part of the Microsoft Elevate program. This initiative aims to equip youth and educators nationwide with foundational AI knowledge and skills, with a strong focus on security and responsibility. By empowering participants to transition from AI users to responsible AI creators, the program seeks to lay a strong foundation for Thailand’s digital future, enabling the nation to confidently navigate an AI-driven world where AI is increasingly pivotal across all sectors.
The Hour of AI is a global initiative, a collaboration among CSforALL, Code.org, and a network of partners, including Microsoft. It reinforces Microsoft Elevate’s global ambition to train over 20 million people in AI skills within two years. This is achieved through engaging, creative, and responsible AI learning activities, all aligned with the UNESCO AI ethics framework. In Thailand, the program is actively expanding access to AI, with an ambitious goal to train 1,000 teachers and 15,000 students nationwide.
Experiential AI Learning: From Concept to Creation The first round of Hour of AI Thailand training recently concluded with enthusiastic participation from 353 primary and secondary school students and teachers from across the country, who joined both online and in-person at Microsoft Thailand headquarters.
All participating students and teachers gained a comprehensive understanding of AI fundamentals and the critical importance of ethical and creative applications. They explored the unbounded potential of this technology, recognizing both its positive impacts and the necessary considerations for integrating AI into daily life and future endeavors. The learning experience extended beyond theory, offering engaging hands-on activities where participants brainstormed and designed AI concepts they envisioned for the future, aimed at solving problems encountered in their schools and local communities.
The program was meticulously designed to foster innovative thinking and problem-solving by integrating tools like Minecraft Education: Generation AI. This platform enabled students to craft AI-driven inventions using simple block coding via MakeCode or Python. They also creatively utilized Microsoft Copilot to organize thoughts and generate new ideas before presenting their group projects, which included generated content, images, and explanations of their AI applications and the problems addressed. This practical, collaborative learning approach fostered crucial teamwork and problem-solving skills, essential for the digital age.
A core component of the activity was the integration of Responsible AI concepts, an ethical framework for AI development and usage that considers societal impact. The program emphasized four key principles: Fairness, Safety, Transparency, and Privacy. This underscored that AI development extends beyond mere innovation to encompass a vital responsibility to society. The activity also fostered STEAM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and essential 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, communication, and digital/AI literacy – all foundational for preparing youth to become responsible technology creators. Following the event, students shared their enthusiasm for the Hour of AI and the AI tools they encountered. They remarked, “It was so much fun because we got to think about how AI could solve problems in our school. We designed solutions, used AI to summarize information, brainstorm ideas, and even generate images. After this, we’ll try using AI to help with other projects because it feels like a tool that helps us learn better. And we won’t forget to use AI safely and protect our personal data.”
Dr. Warin Ratchananusorn, Acting Deputy Executive Director, Digital Economy Promotion Ecosystem Division, Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), stated, “There’s growing recognition of AI’s capabilities and benefits globally, both now and in the future. AI significantly accelerates, simplifies, streamlines, and improves the precision of our work. Therefore, acquiring new digital skills, especially in AI, is vital for people of all ages, including our youth. Today’s activities, through engaging, hands-on experiences from Microsoft, a global leader in AI technology, will inspire participants to apply these skills effectively in their education and future careers. This will empower Thai youth to grow and thrive in the rapidly advancing AI era.”
Siriporn Suksanguan, SVP, Learning Innovation and Strategic Partnership, SCB Academy, Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited, revealed, “The Hour of AI project aligns with SCB Academy’s commitment not only to upskill its personnel but also to drive human capital development across all age groups nationwide – a mission we have consistently pursued for the past 5-6 years, reflecting our organizational value of fostering societal sustainability. Through our established network for teacher and school development nationwide, we will further expand the Hour of AI project to reach broader areas and target groups, equipping teachers and students with the essential AI and digital skills for navigating today’s new global landscape.”
Supahrat Juramongkol, AI Skills Director, Microsoft Elevate, Microsoft Thailand, said, “Microsoft’s Hour of AI aims to foster creativity and AI literacy, transforming Thais from users into responsible AI creators. This event marks a pivotal first step in building future-ready skills for our youth, who will become crucial contributors to the nation. We are deeply encouraged by the overwhelming participation from students and teachers. Furthermore, the Hour of AI program has already trained teachers and representatives from non-profit organizations, including Teach For Thailand, empowering them to effectively apply this knowledge in their respective provinces. We are committed to continuing our collaboration with partners to expand this initiative across all sectors, working together to foster a sustainable future for Thailand.”
The Hour of AI activity represents a significant step towards fostering a robust and sustainable AI learning ecosystem in Thailand. For those interested, recorded sessions and program updates are available on the Hour of AI Thailand Facebook page.
