Girls from Norte Dame School of Milwaukee learn inner workings of artificial intelligence

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A group of eighth grade girls from Notre Dame School of Milwaukee got a firsthand look at the inner workings of artificial intelligence on Thursday, Dec. 7.

The girls took part in an education outreach program called "Girls + AI", it’s a partnership between Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and Northwestern Mutual.

The partnership looks to advance women in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) filed.

"For these girls when they go into careers in five or six years it's going to look totally different," said Elizabeth Taylor, Director of STEM at MSOE.

Taylor went on to say to be a good user of AI it starts with education.

"Understanding how to work with it, have a master of it and have a literacy, I think sets these girls and anyone who studies a step ahead of their peers," said Taylor.

Whether you know it or not, you interact with artificial intelligence every day, even when you do a simple task like unlocking your phone, and with the help of the tools available, the students learned how that facial reorganization is designed.

"Kind of learning how some of it works right now is kind of impressive that it is not as hard," said 14-year-old Jimena Ajuilera a student at Notre Dame School of Milwaukee.

Ajuilera said she was a bit unsure about the world of STEM, but after tinkering with this tech, a new path may lie ahead.

"I feel like I like technology a bit more now," said Ajuilera.

"My basic hope is, just if someone says what's AI, they can be like 'whoa,whoa I got you,'" said Taylor.

According to reports in 2023 more than 29% of women make up the STEM workforce.