Friday the 13th! Spooky AI Update from ReadyAI
By: Roozbeh Aliabadi
Happy Friday, the 13th!
Spooky facts (Feel free to skip it because it is not AI-related): In Western superstition, Friday the 13th is considered unlucky. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. For example, 2015 had a Friday the 13th in February, March, and November; 2017 through 2020 had two Friday the 13ths each, and the years 2021 and 2022 will have just one occurrence each. Friday the 13th occurs in any month that begins on a Sunday. Instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece) is considered a bad luck day in Spanish-speaking countries. The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day. In Italian popular culture, Friday the 17th (and not the 13th) is considered a day of bad luck.
Let’s move to non-spooky stuff (AI stuff, so don’t skip it)
On Tuesday, Aug 17th, we will officially launch our joint project with Cloudera Inc. A Fresh Squeeze on DATA. A Fresh Squeeze on DATA is not just about problem-solving with DATA. It reminds kids about: being courageous, trying new things, having fun, laughing more, making new friends, falling and getting back up, trying again, asking lots of questions, coloring outside the lines, wandering around. This book encourages children to explore, experience, and express their world — a world without limits. We must give our children the very pages on which they will author our future. This book is FREE, and associated lesson plans will be available shortly on: https://www.readyai.org/a-fresh-squeeze-on-data/
A BIG shoutout to all the amazing individuals who worked on this project so kids worldwide can access this book FREE.
Our amazing interns ran a fantastic summer camp (our first physical camp after COVID) at Winchester Thurston! Here is their story of what the kids learned and all the cool projects they completed. I’m really proud of them. Here is the ReadyAI Camp story and videos by David + Ethan + James.
This is true peer-to-peer AI learning in ACTION!
Since 2018, the World Artificial Intelligence Competition WAICY for Youth has inspired students worldwide to learn and use AI to solve real-world problems. WAICY 2021 will be on Nov 20th. Join us! and let’s have fun. As of today, students from 23 countries are participating in WAICY 2021.
I’m thrilled to announce that one of the major public school districts in the US has formally added the 5 Big Ideas book series to its elementary curriculum. (Stay tuned for the official announcement in September). I’m also super excited to announce that 5 Big ideas will also be available in Japanese, Russian, Farsi, Tamil, Arabic, French, and Hebrew this fall.
Let’s get back to Spooky stuff…
If Friday the 13th scares you, you may have paraskavedekatriaphobia (also known as friggatriskaidekaphobia). Those are the scientific terms for fear of Friday the 13th. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.
I definitely don’t have paraskavedekatriaphobia. I can’t even say the word!
Have a wonderful weekend. Just remember that Friday the 13th is still waaaaaaaaaaay better than Monday the whatever!
Learn more about AI: ReadyAI
