 We are back, if you are just joining us, you are on time for the first conversation of the day and of course we are starting with sport on tech and today we want to know about the intersection between AI and STEM courses. If you know what, if you don't know what STEM means or what AI is all about, you are about to find out and how those two come together and how powerful they are. For this we have been joined by engineer John Corpio who is the president of OIA, OIA stands for African Union of Youth Assembly. Kairi Busanna, engineer John. Thank you so much, thank you for hosting me here. It is my first time to join you at Y254 and it is my pleasure and I know we are going to have a great conversation with the youth and the young people and to see how we can be able to maneuver in this dynamic world and stand out. Exactly and that is what we are all about, we are the youth and we want to know how to make the most out of everything that is around us and our skills and our potential and the opportunities. So now, speaking about opportunities, we have AI which is an emerging technology, an emerging trend that is there. So I know most people know AI but maybe just explain to us in the simplest way for someone who doesn't know. Okay, because our topic today is about AI and STEM education and we want to see how they relate and to begin with AI is the simulation of human intelligence in machines, just making machines to work as human beings. They can think and act like normal human beings. So we are simulating all those aspects, the cognitive features of the human being into a machine so that they can work on our behalf. And on the other hand, STEM, STEM these are subjects, for example, STEM means science, technology, mathematics, you know. So because when we are talking about science, we are talking about technology, we are talking about engineering and mathematics, we are looking at how do we solve problems, how can we think critically outside the box and come up with solutions or radical solutions which can be able to address the challenges we are facing. Because as we know, the world is moving very fast when it comes to technology. And maybe the way we used to be like about 20 years ago or 30 years ago, you know, it is different in the world which we are currently in and again what is for the future? What is the future of technology? Because you will find in some areas, if you don't have any skill, maybe in the next 10, 20 years, you will be rendered jobless, you will have nothing to do. So with that concept, how do we ensure that we conform to the dynamics of technology so that any time we can be at par? Because we are looking at maybe in the next 10, 15 or 20 years, there are some human interventions or human, there are things which are being carried by human activity, but they will be replaced with the machine, you know, so what will you be, you know, so you must be somebody who sits behind this machine to make it work on behalf of somebody. Okay, and that's where you are saying that you need to conform to the dynamics of technology as it changes, we need to be in line with it. So how exactly do we do that in the era of AI coming in and most people have had the fear that AI is coming to replace, you know, take over their jobs, so some people have fears around it and some people are welcoming AI, so it's two things, you either here or there. So how do you exactly make sure you conform? You know, we cannot deny the fact that technology is with us and it is here to stay and we cannot run away, you know, there are things which they were brought in place, technological advancement, when they came, we became more resistance, but if you don't change, to change, the change will change you, whether you like it or not, so it is our responsibility to start thinking ahead how as an individual, what should I have to make me at par, because for example, like for the young people, you see, we normally in the process, maybe we are looking for, we are going for job interviews, you know, and maybe in an interview, we are like about 20 or 100 applicants, but now out of the 100, you have all the same qualifications, but at the end of the day, there is something unique about you, which will make you stand out from the rest, that will define you from the rest of the team and you will qualify for that particular job. So how do we work very closely and ensure that we develop all these soft skills, which again will make us, because as we are today, artificial intelligence is the next big thing and is the next investment and it cuts across in all industries, whether it is health, whether it is upper journalism, whether it is ICT, whether it is HR, manufacturing, agriculture, you know, everywhere, even when we are talking about the climate, you know, still will bring the concept of technology, how do we become more innovative to help us preserve and conserve our nature, you know. And we'll get to that, specifically how it's coming into in the STEM areas, but before we, okay, there's a question I wanted to ask, I think I forgot it, but now you just tell us, how is AI being integrated into STEM? And now, because STEM, we have understood it is about the science, it is about technology, it's about engineering, it's about mathematics, the STEM, or the artificial intelligence is about how do we use all this discipline? If I'm taking science, how do I come up with the problem solving skills, you know, what areas in science can I embrace the AI technology when it is about mathematics, because, you know, when it comes to education, first, you'll find people fear taking sciences, you know, maybe you'll find we don't want to do sciences, we don't want to do technology, we don't want to do mathematics. So now we bring the concept of artificial intelligence to make the learning of these particular subjects become more easy and more understandable and more enjoyable so that we can be able to net a wider group of people to come and do such subjects. So when we involve how we are administering these particular subjects or the course line, when we embrace artificial intelligence, at least it will be able to pull, it will attract more people and develop interest in undertaking the STEM subjects, because if we don't do that, there is no way we'll be able to do it, to become more innovative and maybe to conform to the current technological advancement. So we must, the STEM will play a role on how do we make these subjects simpler and they can be conveyed easily, like for example, you know, with technology, you know, nowadays artificial intelligence is applied everywhere, for example, in a simple way, nowadays when you want to go to a place, you don't ask, you just ask that person, please, can you drop me the pin? What is that pin? It is the artificial intelligence. So once that pin is dropped, it will guide you, in fact, it will be talking to you, telling you, you know, you are supposed to turn left, you are supposed to turn right, head straight, it is about two meters. Then it will tell you now, your destination is on the left side. So that is AI. Secondly, all of us, we have email accounts and you'll find when somebody sends you an email, it will go to maybe spam, maybe received, you know. So there is that artificial intelligence app, which maybe, like for example, Google has implemented about 99.9%, whereby if you receive an email, it will be able to classify these emails and identify which email is spam and which email is the right one so that the spam email can be pushed to the spam folder and the rest can be given to you for display. So those are the areas, the simple areas where artificial intelligence is being applied and we have so many areas when it comes to even teaching, we can be able, maybe we can have a foreigner, maybe a Chinese or a German coming to lecture or maybe on a particular topic and you know, we speak English and we may not be able to understand the French or so we need systems to interpret for us the language this particular person is speaking. So there we'll be able to involve the artificial intelligence to help us interpret the languages and make it to the simplest way we can be able to understand. So in such a scenario, AI coming in to do the translation, now in this point, practically speaking, you said you need to conform. So as a translator, that's your job, that's your main job, what do you conform to now? Because now the AI is doing exactly what you are supposed to do, so how do you conform? So now, how you can, because maybe you have been doing that as a translator now, and now the system is coming to replace you. So you must be in a position on how you can be able to write this language into the system, because you know, the machine will not stand there and start doing something. It must be controlled by a human being as much as it has all the intelligence, you know. So you have to give this particular information that now we are translating from French to Kiswaili, or we are translating from Kiswaili to Yoruba, you know. So you must give the system the dynamics on which it is going to operate and to help you translate that. So you need to know coding and all that. So basically, all you're saying, we need to be knowledgeable, it matters technology. What is happening? How do you make the most out of the career that you're in, your profession? How do you advance, right? Yes. What do you say are the specific benefits of the intersection of AI and STEM education? What specific benefits does it offer? You know, now there are specific benefits. One of them is making learning easier. You know, when you bring learning concept to the simple term that the learner will be able to understand, you know, they will start to develop that interest. For example, you know, when we were in school, there are some teachers, you know, when the teacher comes in, immediately he stands there in front of you. You start just interacting with the teacher. You know, you just like the teacher, the skills, you know. So with the artificial intelligence, it will make the learners undertaking such courses to be more proactive, you know. And again, to love what they are doing. Secondly, it creates like a unified platform where people can be able or collaboration where people can be able to share ideas, share views, you know, work together, you know, and bring different minds or concepts together for analysis, you know, to make sure that things work out. Thirdly, maybe when it comes to like data analysis, you know, so for example, AI can be able to can be able to it can be applied when it comes to matters of data analysis and synchronization, whereby you can be able to you have different concepts, different information, you know, from different angles or sphere, you can be able to analyze all this and it will help you make the best decision on what you want to do as an individual, you know, as an organization, you know, as an institution limit. Yeah. So basically, that to make work easier, especially love the fact that it makes learning easier. And speaking of STEM courses, how they are perceived to be hard. And we've had the campaign for four years on of just pushing girls into into this courses. So AI is coming to make it even easier, imagining with, you know, so many ways to learn. We also see virtual reality coming in that in learning and people are able to see and experience it. So it's even, you know, it's even better for for you. Now with the good things also comes some challenges or drawbacks. So what would you say are some of the challenges with the intersection of AI and and STEM? Okay. When maybe when you look at the profile, I did computer forensics. In fact, I did engineering then left after I completed, then I went more on computer forensics. Why I was doing this because, you know, we are in a digital world. And once we are in a digital world, it doesn't mean we are safe. You know, because we are processing, we are receiving, we are consuming a lot, a lot of data, and we are pushing it into the internet or the cyberspace. And whenever we take all this information into the cyberspace, how how do we ensure that that space is secure, is protected, because we are not immune to cyber attacks or threats. But how do we at least protect like 99.9% of what we push or we consume from the internet? Because that has been a challenge when you look at them, the areas, the technology innovations shaping the future, you cannot share a way of talking about the cybersecurity and how we can embrace cybersecurity in this dynamic concept of technology to ensure that the data is protected. So the disadvantage or the demerit out of all this is about the security and of the information that we give, or sometimes when we bring the artificial intelligence, you know, you know, whenever you want to bring change, maybe even to an organization, there are people who will be pro and there are people who will be against that particular change. So how do you understand? Do you how how can you put how can you be able to describe the challenges before they happen? And how you are going to put the solutions? Because when we bring the concept of artificial intelligence that is AI, which means some people will be rendered jobless, you know, because now the machine is going to take their place, you know, so that will be a greater challenge to the people. Yes. Okay, interesting, not so interesting. What about ethical, what are some of the ethical concerns that are there with the intersection of this? Some time back, I was having another AI expert, and he was saying that, you know, given an example of how with AI, the apps, whatever, you know, when you use it, it has some sort of bias or racism, you know, when you're black, you know, you don't really get African things as much as you get white, or things that are associated with blacks, monkeys, or things like that. So with intersection of AI and STEM, what are some of the ethical concerns that are there? You know, when we talk about maybe you're black, you're what, you know, we Africans, you are very intelligent. We are very intelligent people. I agree. Yes. Even if you go to these countries, the white countries, let's call them, you find the people behind all this innovation are Africans, you know, the people driving these technological advancement, the people, because what they normally do, they will come, poach the bright minds, they take them there, they work behind the computers, the behind the scene, behind the curtain. Now they say this is our product. So the main challenge is how do we stand out? Do we have the support that is required that whenever we come up with the problem solving skills or solutions on some areas, can it be accepted, you know, so that it can be implemented and advanced the principles of that technology, you know. So the main challenge is, do we embrace ourselves? Do we like do we understand ourselves what we want? If these people they are capable of developing these particular applications, if they are capable of developing this particular system, how would we take it to the market so that people can embrace it? It will not they will not say, you know, this one was developed by so and so it or maybe it came from this country, you know, now does it solve the problem at hand? Okay. You know, so accepting, you know, and believing in our in ourselves and getting that support is very important so that we can eradicate all these issues of demonizing that, you know, such people cannot be able to deliver this, you know, it is specifically for a certain group, no, it doesn't work that way. So that's why we are promoting and have promoting the application of the AI and encourage as many people as possible, the young people to take this time courses or stem subjects. So because, you know, when you take such courses, we'll become more, you will think critically, you'll be able to analyze things you may be able to to foresee even for the future. Like now, you know, we don't know what we'll maybe in the next 10 years, we are in 2023. Yes, we had we had Kenya vision 2030. 2030, we are just seven years shy. Maybe like now it is about six now, if because we have one month to to the next year, you know, and then we have like African Union Union of Youth Assembly, we have vision 2063. So you know, there are advancement. We are not going back, but we are moving forward. So how do we now bring our minds together without discrimination, without, you know, all these shenanigans to ensure that these young people, we keenly understand what they are developing, what they are innovative, technological, innovative ideas they're coming up with, so that it can help us drive the future. Wow. And actually, I think the question that I wanted to ask you on innovation, being that, actually, we have the Kenya Innovation Week this week. So how can AI be used to foster creativity and innovation in stem? You know, being creative, it doesn't mean that you must be in science field. You can even be in humanity. You can be even in humanities, art, name them, music, you know, every industry. Because, for example, each and every, because we were talking about artificial intelligence, it cuts across all the sectors. It is not about computers and what you know, is. So now, coming out, how do we now bring the concept of, or how can we show the artificial intelligence or AI when it comes to innovation? So first of all, it is a mindset you must become innovative in your mind. You know, there is a way you do news anchoring. But there is a concept or there is a topic which you want every time to be, you talk about. So you go outside there, do research, bring that to the table, to maybe to the media team, the editors, they go through it, the series. This something has value. So it will depend on how it will help you, how you'll be able to embed on that particular AI so that when you go outside to do research, like for example, now we have chatbot, the chat GPT, which is artificial intelligence, a chatbot which uses natural language, and it creates like a human conversation, a dialogue. Is it a dialogue? Monologue needs one person, so dialogue. So you can communicate with the system whereby you query, you ask the chat, you type the kind of question you want to the chatbot, then it will be able to do what to give you the answers. So it is like you'll be discussing. So you see in such advancement, maybe you are a news anchor, there is a project or there is an item or there is something article which you want to talk about. So you will go to the chatbot, maybe do some research, get to understand, say that even if you go outside, you know, areas to look into, to gather all this information and bring it in place. When you are doing fine arts, finance is the drawing scenario. So sometimes we say, now we want to use the computers to do the sketches, do the drawings, you know, do all those kind of. So instead of now doing the pens, because at some point, you can do with the pencils, the ink is not there now. How do I embed now the computer to help me now? Because I have the idea what I want to do. So how do I tell the computer that this is what I'm thinking of? I just want you to think like me. Because in computer, there's something we call computer programming. Before, we used to program computer to do what we want. But now, with the current technological advancement, where we are talking about artificial intelligence, that computer must think like me. You know, if I'm having this interview here, I can bring a robot who mimics John capability and features. The robot will be here. So you start interviewing robot on my behalf, you know. I can't wait to get there. I'm not sure if it's scary. It can be scary when you think about it, but it's something that's happening and we need to, you know, to embrace it. And as you've said, it's there to complement a lot of things. So it's just us aligning to it. And as we come to a close on this, I want to ask, how can AI be used to make STEM education more inclusive to all people, especially when talking about students? In fact, you've talked about inclusiveness. The AI brings about inclusion. It should not discriminate, you know, because when you look at this, maybe as young people like now, we have the form foes who are just finished their exams, maybe three days ago, about one week ago. And next year, now they are looking for to join various high institutions of higher learning. So when you bring the concept of AI, because we want to bring this particular on to the students, you know, this inclusivity to ensure that we bring more young young ladies, you know, and young men to embrace this particular courses to undertake them. Because, you know, for example, it is about men. But we have good ladies who can challenge in mathematics. So now when we make that learning processes very easy, it will bring that inclusion, that inclusivity. When we demystify, you know, we break it down, you know, to the simplest ways in which these people can be able to understand. For example, now they're all out of the CBC, you know, they're looking at the potential. So when you embrace with the AI, it will help that create that environment to embrace. Because once you have created that unified platform for everyone. So now the people will start to embrace. And they will not see stem subjects at, you know, these are courses meant for this particular group of people. You know, these are the guys who are supposed to do it, you know, this community, you know, even there are some courses which have been related to other communities, even if you go to the university. So when you bring all these, the concept of AI, artificial intelligence, it will help a lot. It will help on how we are administering the information, the education, the curriculum, the studies by making it simpler. So you know, when you make something simpler for people to understand, you'll attract more people to come and get to understand what is this person talking about. You know, but you know, when you, you just create that, the hard points, you know, people will run away. You know, there are things because in the AI, now it will be practical because if it is about mathematics, you will see the real things. How if it is about chemistry, you'll see how the atoms, they come together, they separate, you know, if you go to the mathematics, you'll be able to see how, you know, with the real practicals, real applications, which will attract you to enjoy that particular subject you are undertaking. Alright, so it would be boring anymore. I love it. Before I let you say, last, you know, advice or something. For those that don't know about African Union or Youth Assembly, I know you're focusing on, focusing on achieving holistic tech, innovation to empower young people and create social economic empowerment. How would you say you're doing this? Okay, firstly, in African Union or Youth Assembly, there are very different aspects. There are people who are like me in technology, there are people in law, there are people in the media like you, and there are those people are doing agriculture, climate. So each and every there is it is it is diverse, you know. So on my part, you know, with the skills I have, with the knowledge I have, how can I now bring that on the table? And maybe if I'm doing something in Kenya about innovation, how can I transfer it to South Africa? How can I transfer it to Ghana? And whatever is happening in Ghana in terms of agriculture, with that skills, how can we bring it back home? Because we are just looking at a platform whereby we know we are resourceful, we are skillful. And how and you can only be resourceful if whatever you are, you can share with someone to bring a change. It wouldn't be it wouldn't bring any change if you just conceive it to yourself. You must bring it out there. So on my part, what you normally do, I like mentoring young people when it comes to technological matters. You'll find these young people after leaving school, we hunt for jobs, which at some point it becomes difficult to get a job, you know, because the job market is flooded. So now, once you come out from the university or the college or whatever institution of higher learning, how can you be able to stand out among the rest? How can you make yourself unique? Can you identify something which is unique about you? So once you have identified that, because with the technology, you just need a laptop, you need a working internet, then you get your area, then you sit down and work it. Because what we are looking at, there are things maybe they were we had started in the next 10 years. If you're not, you don't have any relevant skill, you're not being the market. You're not being the market. So how do you conform to the current dynamics? How can we be able to nurture that particular skill you have and make it something which can stand out, which you can be able to sell with the other person? If it is in the areas of agriculture, how do we nurture, become innovative? What are the things that we're looking at to ensure that we do what, we bring that skill out from you. Okay, interesting. Very nice. In regards to that, how can people get you or reorganization if you're okay with sharing your social handles, and as you give your partnership, your final word on this to the youth, your cover is this one. Okay, this one. Thank you. Now, the way we had started, my name is John Opio. I'm a computer forensics expert. My Twitter handle is John Kopio. You can find me there. The Facebook account is John Opio or Senator John because I bide for Senator Migori County that is in the last election, but we postponed the victory till 2027 if God allows. Wow, correct. I have the positivity in the statement. Yes, yes, yes. So the African Union of Youth Assembly is registered in Ghana and in Ethiopia, the second office, and we are looking at how we can be able to open an office in Kenya and again work with the African, the Kenyan youths and bring more African youths to this particular assembly. It is assembly, you know, like assembly, you go and sit and everybody will contribute. Then at the end of the day, the decision is reached, you know, and you go and implement. So how can we bring all these people together and be able to invite you to that assembly so that we can be able to get our destination, destiny, I mean, destiny together as young people because the future belongs to us and it is not the future, it is today. The future is now. Yes, the future is now. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Also the president of OIA, which is the African Union of Youth Assemblies, also a computer forensics expert and we have been discussing about AI and STEM, the intersection of the two. I hope you've taken something from this particular conversation. Now it's time for a break and then Grashamwangi will be coming up next with yet another interesting conversation. Stick with us. The hashtag is Thursday at 1 in the morning at 1-5-4 channel.