Unlocking the World of Artificial Intelligence: A Day at Bansko

magine a world where kids, teens, parents, and experts unite to explore the limitless possibilities of AI. A world where AI is not a mystery, but a tool for creativity, innovation, and collaboration across all generations.

Today, in the picturesque town of Bansko, this vision became a reality. International AI expert Arta Statovci, backed by MaNaBu Movement, led the first-ever AI session for kids, teens, parents, and experts, in Bulgaria, empowering participants to explore the marvels of AI together at Bansko, Nestwork co-working space.

Inspired by her daughters' participation in AI Transformation Bootcamp in Kosovo and youth growing interest in the subject, local mum of three, Daniela Slavova, with the support of MaNaBu Movement, collaborated with the AI expert Arta Statovci to create an interactive and personalized AI session for kids, teens, and parents from Bansko and abroad.

Adi and I were thrilled to participate virtually, and from the moment we tuned in, we knew it was going to be a day filled with remarkable insights and revelations.

Highlights:

• Young AI Geniuses Confidently Take the Stage in Bulgaria
• Simple, yet effective ways to use AI in Daily Life, Education, and a variety of Business Industries
• AI Inspires Collaboration Between Youth & Parents
• AI empowering Essential Human skills
• A Special Guest: Lara, the Film Director
• A Transformative Morning 

Young AI Geniuses Confidently Take the Stage in Bulgaria 

The heart of the AI session was the young geniuses - Maya (11) a worldschooler, Atharva Kumar (10) from India, Maria (14), Joana (11) who are currently in Bansko, Bulgaria.

They inspired by their engagement at the AI Bootcamp in Kosovo, eloquently shared their learning journeys in Bulgaria.

Their experiences showed that age and location are no barriers to mastering AI. We were also impressed by the confidence and expertise of the AI geniuses who have been part of the mentoring team for months. They are proof that AI is not just for the tech-savvy; it is a tool for everyone.

Simple, yet effective ways to use AI in Daily Life, Education, and a variety of Business Industries

Young geniuses showcased their diverse AI applications: Adi candidly exposed how AI can be fallible, Maria ingeniously used AI to create and translate content, Maya demonstrated the simplicity of creating AI chatbots for youth learning, and Joana revealed how to set up digital businesses in seconds.

Our horizons broadened as we explored AI's professional impact, from advancing architectural designs to upskilling workers globally. Maya's father, Andreas, added a historical perspective, tracing AI's concept back to 1964 and highlighting its recent momentum.

People from all over the world are using AI to upskill themselves and navigate an ever-changing world.

AI Inspires Collaboration Between Youth & Parents

As the AI session progressed, parents and experts discussed countless ways AI can simplify and improve our lives. Encouraging moments unfolded between teens and parents, such as when one teen pointed out that AI tools could create a website in less than a minute, a task that his mother had been working on for months.

A local mom shared how her teenage son can now help her market her local business in new ways, while a grandmother of young geniuses Maria & Joana is excited about her granddaughters introducing AI to her architectural lessons at the university she still teaches.

AI empowering Essential Human skills

In the era of AI, Arta believes that human skills, building youth confidence, and a resilient mindset are more important than ever. Through personal growth exercises like the "Wheel of Life," she showed how AI can help us balance various aspects of our lives.

Participants ranked different categories in the Wheel of Life according to their satisfaction levels, revealing where AI could help them solve problems in critical areas.

Discussions ventured into the realm of prompt engineering, exploring the art of asking the right questions to AI to get the most out of it.

In a live demonstration, kids and teenagers provided their background, hobbies, and challenges, and AI responded with personalized suggestions. 

Using the Wheel of Life powered by AI, one participant explored several ways for creating multiple streams of income with AI, while traveling as a digital nomad. Another teenager discovered methods to overcome his shyness and be more socially active.

By the end of the session, he cheerfully reported that he had already made a friend at the workshop who would go with him for lunch the next day.

Maya reminded us of a crucial aspect: being kind to AI. Just as in any interaction, using polite language, like "please" and "thank you," can make a significant difference. Moreover, she enlightened us about AI's eco-friendliness, highlighting how it can save paper by providing convenient digital alternatives.

A Special Guest: Lara, the Film Director

Our session was graced by the presence of Lara, a renowned film director. She shared her unique insights on AI and its transformative impact on various industries, including filmmaking.

A Transformative Morning

We are grateful to Arta, our exceptional instructor who combines practical AI skills with cutting-edge technology to empower youth; Daniel Slavova, a driven local Bulgarian mother; and Andreas Wil Gerdes, co-founder of MaNaBU, an international nomad community, for coming together across different locations and perspectives to make the first AI for teens, kids, and parents possible.
AI, though challenging education and all industries will soon be indispensable. Thanks to sessions like this, we're ready to embrace its potential and shape our future. Young minds, parents, and experts converged in Bansko, sharing and learning about AI's profound importance.

It was an inspiring and enlightening morning, a testament to AI's transformative potential and its ability to elevate education.