2024 - Gen AI & The Future of SW Development Bootcamp

We are excited to share the highlights from our recently completed 8-week bootcamp on Gen AI and the Future of Software Development, organized by Computer Science for Equity & Beyond (CSEB) and VC.in.Taiwan. Under the guidance of Coach Alwin Lin, this course aimed to demystify machine learning concepts and introduce high school students to large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT.

Course Overview

Designed for students with a basic understanding of computer science, the bootcamp provided a blend of hands-on projects, interactive discussions, and practical demonstrations. By the end of the course, participants gained foundational knowledge in machine learning and LLM applications in real-world scenarios.

Learning Objectives & Outcomes

Students achieved several key outcomes:

• Mastered the basics of machine learning using Teachable Machine.
• Learned Python programming and how to interact with APIs.
• Developed a content summarization bot utilizing the Whisper API and GPT API.
• Understood the fundamentals of chatbot development.
• Automated web searches and information gathering.
• Created a comprehensive Portfolio AI project combining all learned skills.

Weekly Breakdown

Here’s a recap of what students explored each week:

Week 1: Introduction to Teachable Machine & Project Forethought

• Objective: Introduced machine learning basics and end-to-end development.
• Key Learnings: Understanding ML applications and hands-on experience with Teachable Machine.

Week 2: APIs and Basic Python

• Objective: Laid the groundwork for Python programming.
• Key Learnings: Introduction to Python syntax, making API calls, and processing responses using the Whisper API for speech-to-text conversion.

Week 3: Building a Summary Bot

• Objective: Created a bot to summarize content.
• Project Overview: Developed a bot that transcribes YouTube videos and generates summaries in GitHub Markdown format using GPT.

Week 4: Preparing for the Web Search Bot Project

• Objective: Introduced web scraping techniques.
• Key Learnings: Utilized Python libraries like requests and BeautifulSoup, along with LangChain tools for automation.

Week 5: Coding Out the Web Search Bot Project

• Objective: Built a sophisticated Research Bot.
• Planned Learnings: Integrated web scraping and API calls to gather information based on user queries, hosted on Streamlit for easy access.

Skills Acquired by Students

Throughout the bootcamp, students developed:

• Proficiency in Python programming, including foundational syntax and advanced library usage.
• Practical knowledge of APIs in real-world projects.
• Basic understanding of machine learning concepts.
• Skills in developing interactive bots that utilize web scraping, natural language processing, and summary generation.

Upcoming Focus

As we conclude this bootcamp, we look forward to future coding sessions where students will apply their skills in practical scenarios. They will learn how to leverage LLMs effectively while coding, understanding both their capabilities and limitations.

Thank you to all participants for their enthusiasm and hard work! We are proud of what everyone has accomplished during this bootcamp and excited about their future endeavors in technology. Stay tuned for more opportunities as we continue to empower young minds in the field of computer science!