TEEL Lab Programs Awardable Through Department of Defense Marketplace

PITTSBURGH— Two programs from Carnegie Mellon University's Technology for Effective and Efficient Learning (TEEL) Lab designed to upskill workers with artificial intelligence (AI) expertise are now available through the Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office's (CDAO) Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace.

The TEEL Lab's AI Technicians and AI User workforce training programs have received awardable status in the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, the premier offering of Tradewinds, the DoD's suite of tools and services designed to accelerate the procurement and adoption of AI, machine learning, data and analytics capabilities. The two programs can be offered across the entire DoD.

The AI Technicians rapid occupational training program addresses the critical need for upskilling personnel from diverse educational backgrounds and equipping them to design, develop and deliver AI solutions. It is more focused than a traditional college degree program and can be tailored to a particular role or context. AI technicians who complete this program develop knowledge and skills in AI, cloud computing and data science and can become their organization's dedicated AI workforce.

The program offers a unique learn-by-doing approach grounded in research-based principles and project-based learning delivered through Sail(), an online learning platform developed by the TEEL Lab. Participants complete six courses taught by CMU experts in which they engage in challenging, hands-on projects every week and collaborate on real-world applications. Trainees demonstrate their learning by working as teams to complete a capstone project for a real client such as the U.S. Army's Artificial Intelligence Integration Center (AI2C).

AI User, also delivered on the Sail() platform, is a comprehensive AI literacy training program designed for non-STEM learners with a high school education. It addresses the urgent need for AI understanding and equips trainees with foundational knowledge of important AI topics like the role of hardware; typical AI applications including large language models, natural language processing and computer vision; decision-support systems; and the principles of responsible AI.

Each of the AI User program's eight units is taught through lectures by CMU experts, learner discussions, conceptual reading materials and interactive projects where students gain hands-on experience solving realistic problems related to AI systems and their inputs and outputs. Each interactive project is based on a real-world scenario. The project is structured as an introductory motivation followed by three tasks of increasing difficulty. For each task, students solve a problem by manipulating items or example data to see and evaluate the outcomes and changes in outcomes produced by AI and machine learning systems. Students assess plausible outputs and metrics that AI systems would produce and explore ways to improve performance, developing the skills needed to become sophisticated users of AI systems.

The TEEL Lab at CMU has a proven track record of delivering effective workforce training at scale. The AI Technicians program is starting its sixth year and has trained 83 people for the U.S. Army's AI2C. The U.S. Navy has used AI User to train two cohorts of sailors, improving their AI literacy and confidence in making well-founded decisions about AI data and models.

Both programs are now accessible to governmental partners seeking to rapidly build their AI technician workforce or empower their workforce with essential AI literacy. For additional information, contact the TEEL lab or view the videos on the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace.

About Carnegie Mellon University: Carnegie Mellon is a private, internationally ranked research university with acclaimed programs spanning the sciences, engineering, technology, business, public policy, humanities and the arts. Our diverse community of scholars, researchers, creators and innovators is driven to make real-world impacts that benefit people across the globe. With an unconventional, interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial approach, we do the work that matters. For media requests, contact Aaron Aupperlee, aaupperlee@cmu.edu

About the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace: The Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace is a digital repository of post-competition, readily awardable pitch videos that address the Department of Defense's (DoD) most significant challenges in the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), data and analytics space. All awardable solutions have been assessed through complex scoring rubrics and competitive procedures and are available to government customers with a Marketplace account. Government customers can create an account at www.tradewindai.com. Tradewinds is housed in the DoD's Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office. For more information or media requests, contact Success@tradewindai.com