IMPORTANT NOTE: As an experiment, this article was written using AI. Express fact-checked it and made minor formatting tweaks before publishing, but the majority of the ‘writing’ was done with the help of three different AI tools, ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, and Google Gemini. We’ve published a separate article on the experience.
Fancy getting better at ChatGPT, finding out how AI could help at work, or even building your own app?
Guernsey’s new AI Sprint is offering all of that and more this autumn, with more than 50 free events running from 1 October to 12 November.
“It’s an island-wide programme, full of free events to help upskill the whole of the island on AI,” said Katie Inder, Programme Manager for the AI Sprint.
And it really is aimed at everyone, with sessions for people who have never opened ChatGPT alongside workshops and hackathons for those already experimenting with what AI can do.
“We deliberately built a programme you can start from zero on,” Mrs Inder said, “with sessions for people who have never opened ChatGPT, and sessions for teams who want to build something real in a day.”
From ‘life hacks’ to building apps
The programme is split into five strands covering foundation learning, business and leadership, regulation, hands-on software development and education.
Foundation Learning is the starting point, with sessions on AI basics, prompt writing and “life hacks” for using AI in everyday life.
“It’s very, very basic, nothing to do with work, just come and sort of learn how to talk to an LLM and what it can help you with outside of work,” Miss Inder said of some of the introductory sessions.
But things get considerably more ambitious further into the programme.
Build It! includes practical workshops, showcases and hackathons, with participants able to get hands-on with AI rather than simply listen to someone talk about it.
Miss Inder said the programme goes “all the way through to hackathons where we’re doing sort of more technical events”.
There are also sector-specific sessions, including AI in construction and a series of “AI in practice” events looking at how businesses are already using the technology.
One session will give participants the chance to build their own personal app.
For business leaders, the Leadership & Business Change strand covers AI strategy, return on investment, risk and the effect it could have on staff.
AI Governance, Risk & Compliance tackles the other side of the equation, looking at how businesses can use AI without creating new problems around security, regulation or responsibility.
In practice, that means the programme goes from “Life hacks with AI for total beginners” to an AI crisis simulation, an AI lab where people can build their own app and sessions exploring how the technology is already being used in sectors including construction.
AI in the classroom – and at home
Then there is Education, aimed at teachers, parents and students.
The sessions are designed to help people understand AI’s role in education and the technology children are increasingly encountering outside the classroom.
That makes the sprint about more than workplace productivity.
It is also an opportunity for families, teachers and students to work out what this technology actually means for them.
Miss Inder said the programme was designed to let people “explore, be curious, learn about AI”.
‘We’re not trying to hype everyone up’
For all the enthusiasm, the sprint is not intended to be an AI fan club.
“We want it to be a balanced conversation about AI,” Miss Inder said.
Sessions will cover why AI gets things wrong, including bias and “hallucinations”, as well as regulation, data protection and the environmental impact of the technology.
There will also be discussion about AI’s effect on jobs, a particularly important question for an economy heavily reliant on professional and financial services.
“The whole point of the sprint is to upskill people on the opportunity that Guernsey has,” Miss Inder said, “and to think about the opportunity, we also have to talk about the risks that come with it.”
She believes AI could ultimately be an opportunity for the island’s economy.
“This is an opportunity for Guernsey,” she said, adding that AI could potentially help the island “diversify our finance, or even strengthen our finance industry”.
‘We can’t afford to hesitate’
The sprint has grown out of wider concerns about whether Guernsey is moving quickly enough to build the skills it needs as technology changes.
The initiative follows recommendations arising from the Oliver Wyman report into Guernsey’s economy and findings from PwC’s Channel Islands CEO Survey, which highlighted an opportunity to improve the island’s ability to adopt AI and get value from it.
More than 80 businesses and organisations are involved, with a target of upskilling 1,000 islanders across the six weeks.
But the project itself came together remarkably quickly, with the initial conversation between Chamber of Commerce and PwC taking place around April.
Miss Inder said getting the sprint together so quickly showed what Guernsey could do when people worked towards the same goal.
“It shows that as an island, we can move fast if we all pitch in to do it together and move towards a common goal.”
So what’s in it for you?
For Miss Inder, success is not simply about filling rooms or hitting the target of 1,000 people.
“Success for me personally is an individual going to an event, being inspired by something they’ve learned, and thinking, ‘ah, this is going to help me’.”
That could mean automating a tedious task at work, learning how to get more useful answers from an AI tool, finding a new way to run a business, or simply discovering something useful to do at home.
Most sessions are being held before work, at lunchtime or after work and generally last around an hour, although there are longer workshops and hackathons for those who want to go further.
The idea is that people can dip in and out of the programme rather than needing to commit to six weeks of AI bootcamp.
And no, the States isn’t paying
Every event is free, but the programme is not being funded by the States.
Instead, it is being supported through contributions from the participating industry bodies, private sponsorship and businesses providing venues, expertise and other support.
More than 600 people had registered their interest before bookings opened.
Miss Inder, who is also a Board Member of both Guernsey Chamber of Commerce and Innovate Guernsey, said the support had been “incredible”.
The sprint launches with an event on 30 September and finishes with a gala dinner on 12 November.
Some of the sessions
Among the events already listed include:
- AI Basics: Prompt Writing – an introduction to getting better results from AI.
- Life Hacks with AI for Total Beginners – everyday uses for people starting from scratch (two sessions).
- AI Governance, Risk & Security – looking at the risks and responsibilities around using AI.
- AI in People Management – exploring the opportunities and responsibilities for employers.
- Board Effectiveness in the Age of AI – aimed at directors and senior leaders.
- When an AI Crisis Hits – a live crisis simulation.
- AI in the Construction Industry – a sector-specific look at putting AI to work.
- AI in Practice – showcasing practical uses of AI, with four sessions planned.
- Demystify AI for Parents – helping parents understand the technology.
- AI Lab: Build Your Own Personal Agent – a hands-on session hosted by KPMG.
The full programme and booking information is available at ai-sprint.gg.
