Press release as PDF
Website Ars Electronica Future Thinking School
Future Thinking School on the Ars Electronica Blog
(Linz, February 11, 2021) Curtains up for Ars Electronica’s new Future Thinking School! The schedule doesn’t include math, history or Latin, but Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality or Blockchain. Exam nerves and playing hooky are not an issue. On the contrary, the lessons in the virtual classroom are in high demand. Want proof? Drei Österreich raffled off one of the new online workshops at the Ars Electronica Future Thinking School-with great response. More than 500 people took part, and 40 winners were able to attend the Future Thinking School on February 9 and 10. “The great interest of the Drei customers in our workshops shows how important programs are that look behind the hype surrounding new technologies such as artificial intelligence thus transforming the digital shyness of the participants into curiosity. We are delighted to have been able to carry out this innovative project together with Drei,” says Karin Gabriel, head of the Future Thinking School.
Online workshop Future Insights: Understanding Artificial Intelligence
So how is an AI system actually built? Are machines really capable of learning – and if so – how should that work? And how do the sensors of an artificial intelligence perceive their environment in contrast to us humans? The online workshops raffled off by Drei Österreich are all about the topic of artificial intelligence. Using various examples from everyday life, participants can find out for themselves how far artificial intelligence has already penetrated, what opportunities it offers for everyone, but also what risks are involved. In addition to various entertaining presentations, garnished with all kinds of interactive elements such as online brainstorming or voting, participants can also expect fascinating insights into the Ars Electronica Center exhibition “Understanding AI”.
“We are delighted that we have been able to work with our long-standing cooperation partner Ars Electronica to provide an online cultural offering that Drei customers can enjoy safely and conveniently from the comfort of their own homes during these challenging times. The lively interest in the two workshops underscores the fact that there is a great willingness to take a critical look at artificial intelligence. This is a topic that will also increasingly accompany us in the coming years due to the progressive expansion of the 5G network,” says Günter Lischka, Division Manager Private Customers at Drei.
Future Thinking School by Ars Electronica
Launched in 2020, the Future Thinking School is Ars Electronica’s latest initiative bringing critical engagement with current issues in art, technology and society to clients in the business and public sectors. The focus of the workshops and continuing education programs for executives and employees is on teaching classification and application skills in the spirit of digital humanism. In 2021, the topics will be expanded to include artificial intelligence, blockchain, brain computer interfaces, art thinking, augmented and virtual reality. In addition to the “Future Insights”, two further programs will be launched in the coming months, “Future Signals” and “Future Impulses”. These will be available in both face-to-face and online versions, and their content can be adapted to meet specific requirements of customers. Since last year, the Future Thinking School can already look back on face-to-face workshops for the Linz Chamber of Labor as well as a cooperation program in collaboration with Terra Mater Factual Studios and Cloudflight. The online workshop “Future Insights: Understanding Artificial Intelligence” has already been attended by Social City Vienna as well as a government organization from Belgium.
About Drei
Hutchison Drei Austria GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (Hong Kong) and a member of 3Group Europe. Drei generated revenues of EUR 867 million in fiscal 2019 and has around 3.9 million customers. As the leading telecommunications provider in Austria, the company offers mobile telephony, Internet, fixed network, television and business solutions from a single source. In addition to the largest store network of all Austrian telecom operators and comprehensive customer service for consumers and business customers, Drei also has the country’s most powerful LTE network with a population coverage of 98 percent.
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Future Thinking School / photo credit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl Printversion
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Future Thinking School / photo credit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl Printversion
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Future Thinking School / photo credit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl / Printversion
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Future Thinking School / photo credit: Ars Electronica – Robert Bauernhansl / Printversion
