From Quick Draw to Smart Mazes: Girls in STEM Tackle AI

This week at the Girls in STEM Club at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, participants explored the timely topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI).  The session looked at what AI is, how it works, and how it can be used as a helpful tool in everyday life.  From ATMs guiding users through transactions to smart fridges suggesting dinner recipes based on what is inside, the girls quickly discovered that AI is already part of many technologies we use every day.

The first challenge used Quick Draw, where the girls had just 20 seconds to sketch an object while AI tried to guess what it was.  When the software struggled, the girls realised they were actually training the AI, helping it learn how objects are drawn.

Next came a classification challenge: sorting mystery objects into groups based on colour, texture, or other features.  The girls created logical and quite similar categories, though were amazed when AI (via ChatGPT) produced even more detailed classifications.

The experiments continued with prediction and association tasks.  The girls first tried to guess what might be hidden inside a box based on the objects placed in front of it.  At another table, they were asked to guess what the groups of objects might be used for.  Laughter filled the room as they compared their clever ideas with AI’s surprisingly detailed responses.

The final challenge focused on optimisation, racing through floor mazes to find the fastest path.  Some inventive strategies appeared, until AI “solved” the maze instantly jumping from start to finish!

The takeaway?  AI can generate complex answers using large amounts of data, though creativity still matters… especially when imagining something like a fish encrusted with diamonds.