Learning AI in Innovation Wing
Dear members of the Innovation Wing,
We extend a warm welcome to each of you as you join our community dedicated to hands-on learning and innovation. As members of the Innovation Wing, you are part of a dynamic group that values the power of practical experience in driving knowledge and growth.
In the Innovation Wing, we place a strong emphasis on hands-on learning as a fundamental approach to developing skills and expertise. We provide various avenues for you to actively engage and apply your knowledge, particularly in the exciting field of AI.
To help you develop hands-on competency in Generative AI, we offer the following six aspects:
- Understanding the ethical, responsible, and legal practices of AI.
- Enriching your basic understanding of AI by taking recommended online courses.
- Participating in hands-on workshops organized by the Innovation Academy.
- Attending TECH Talks to learn about the latest AI research conducted by our professors.
- Joining or initiating a student interest group and working on projects or competitions.
- Finally, we provide opportunities for experts to join industrial or academic projects within the Innovation Wing, where you can work on real-life problems and gain practical experience.
By actively engaging in these aspects, you will develop a strong hands-on competency in Generative AI while also nurturing your understanding of ethics, responsible practices, and the latest advancements in the field.
Welcome once again to the Innovation Wing, where hands-on learning propels innovation and growth. We are excited to embark on this practical learning journey with you.
Resources to support students' learning of AI
Innovation Wing provides a wide range of resources to support students’ learning in AI or generative AI. The following list highlights some of the available resources tailored to different learning purposes
Recommended online courses with add-on support from Innovation Wing
Eligibility: All members of the Innovation Wing
Arrangement:
The detailed arrangement varies across different online learning platforms. In the Innovation Wing, we will announce opportunities to join online courses, and interested students will need to complete the course within a specified timeframe to receive credit support or certification sponsorship. In addition, Innovation Wing will provide add-on support to enhance students’ hands-on learning in these AI courses, such as offering consultation support and peer support.
API access on cloud servers
Eligibility: Approved projects of SIGs (for non-production and non-commercial use only)
Arrangement:
If a SIG wishes to utilize API access on cloud servers (such as Azure OpenAI), the SIG supervisor should contact the Innovation Wing Office at innowing@hku.hk. In your request, kindly include the necessary details such as the purpose of usage (for non-production and non-commercial use only), the specific APIs you require and any relevant settings. This information will help us ensure a smooth and efficient setup for your project.
Once the request is approved, the SIG supervisor or a designated Cloud Account Manager assigned by the SIG supervisor will be responsible for monitoring and controlling the cloud spending. This measure is in place to prevent exceeding the allocated budget and to ensure responsible resource usage.
Standalone workstations with GPU
Eligibility: Approved projects of SIGs (for non-production and non-commercial use only)
Arrangement:
If a SIG wishes to utilize standalone workstations with GPU, the SIG supervisor should contact the Innovation Wing Office at innowing@hku.hk. In your request, kindly include the necessary details such as the purpose of usage (for non-production and non-commercial use only) and the duration of usage. Please note that the availability of workstations is subject to stock availability.
Upon approval of your request, a formatted workstation will be assigned to your SIG. It is your SIG’s responsibility to install and maintain the required software and operating system on the workstation for your project. When returning the workstation to the Innovation Wing, please ensure that it is properly formatted.
Access to Inno Wing GPU farm
Eligibility:
- Instructors and participants of workshops organized by the Innovation Academy (for the duration of the workshops or with extensions granted for practice purposes, upon request by the instructor and subject to approval by the Innovation Wing office).
- Industrial or academic collaborative projects initiated by the Innovation Academy.
Arrangement:
Please note that the Inno Wing GPU farm is maintained by the Computer Science department. To ensure responsible usage, we kindly request all users to adhere to the policies and guidelines outlined in the following link: https://www.cs.hku.hk/gpu-farm/policies
1. Ethics
All members of the Innovation Wing must prioritize ethics when using and developing AI.
As responsible users, it is essential that we conduct ethical reviews and validate facts when crafting content. We have a duty to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information we generate, upholding the highest standards of integrity.
Similarly, as responsible developers, we must strictly adhere to transparent data collection practices and respect authorized intellectual property (IP) use. Respecting privacy, obtaining appropriate consent, and upholding intellectual property rights are imperative principles in fostering a trustworthy and ethical AI ecosystem.
Adhere to the ‘Guidance for Using Generative AI Tools and Building Applications’ to ensure responsible and ethical utilization of these tools in your academic pursuits.
2. Recommended online courses
To enrich your technical understanding of AI-related knowledge, we recommend taking advantage of some recommended online courses. These courses are carefully selected to provide you with a comprehensive foundation in AI and related topics.
Coursera course: Machine Learning Specialization by Andrew Ng. (3 courses)
- Supervised Machine Learning: Regression and Classification
- Advanced Learning Algorithms
- Unsupervised Learning, Recommenders, Reinforcement Learning
3. Hands-on workshops organized by Innovation Academy
You can participate in hands-on workshops organized by the Innovation Academy where you will have the opportunity to explore AI concepts, including generative AI, through practical exercises and projects. These workshops are designed to enhance your understanding and proficiency by actively working on real-world applications.
4. TECH Talks by professors
If you are interested to learn about the latest research development in AI by our professors, please stay tuned to the Tech Talks organized in the Innovation Wing Two.
5. Student interest group (SIG)
Additionally, as members of the Innovation Wing, you have the opportunity to initiate or join Student Interest Group (SIG) projects. These projects provide a collaborative environment where you can work with like-minded students on student-initiated and student-led development projects or competitions related to AI.
6. Industrial or academic collaborative projects in the Innovation Wing.
Once you have acquired solid technical skills in AI, we warmly welcome you to embark on industrial or academic collaborative projects within the Innovation Wing. These projects offer an incredible opportunity for you to apply your technical AI skills to solve real-life problems.
In the Innovation Wing, our strategic focus goes beyond traditional engineering applications. We actively seek out social good projects that have meaningful impact in non-engineering fields. By participating in these projects, you can contribute your AI expertise to address pressing challenges and make a positive difference in areas such as healthcare, education, sustainability, and more.
Joining our collaborative projects not only allows you to further develop your technical skills but also provides a platform to apply AI in a purposeful and impactful manner. You will have the chance to work alongside professionals, researchers, and experts from various disciplines, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding your horizons.
References
- Chun Kit Chui, Lei Yang, Ben Kao. “Empowering Students in Emerging Technology: A Framework for Developing Hands-on Competency in Generative AI with Ethical Considerations,” in ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition