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What Does an AI Engineer Do?

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What Does an AI Engineer Do?

AI Engineers are in demand in most industries, and there’s a good reason for this. If you’re wondering what an AI Engineer does, we’ll break it down for you.

Businesses can use the massive amounts of data they generate daily to improve and simplify common, everyday tasks. With the right AI systems, companies can take these tasks off the hands of their teams so they can focus on more meaningful work. Technologies like generative AI, speech recognition, business process management, and image processing are only some of the AI technologies changing the world.

Companies need AI Engineers to put these systems in place, maintain them, and adapt them to changes in the business. According to the World Economic Forum, employment of Data Analysts and Scientists, Big Data Specialists, Machine Learning/AI Engineers, and Cybersecurity Professionals is expected to grow on average by 30% by 2027. In this article, we’ll explore what AI Engineers do, what kind of skills they need, and how you can get started on the AI engineering career path.

But first, let’s examine what AI engineering is and how it relates to machine learning.

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What is artificial intelligence?

AI, or artificial intelligence, uses computers and machines to emulate how the human mind operates to accomplish problem-solving and decision-making tasks. It combines the robust data sets we generate daily with computer science to achieve this goal in its simplest form.

In AI, machines learn the outcomes of specific actions by crunching mountains of past data. They then use the insights gained from this process to make decisions about future actions and solve problems. At the same time, data is collected on the machine’s decisions and is used to correct and perfect future actions and decisions.

What’s the difference between AI and machine learning?

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are often lumped together in the same definition, but they aren’t necessarily the same. AI refers to complete systems (incorporating both hardware and software) that interact with the world and may use various models, including those from machine learning. Machine learning, on the other hand, focuses specifically on detecting patterns in data and constructing models to represent aspects of reality. While machine learning models can be components within AI systems, AI encompasses a broader range of technologies and methodologies beyond just machine learning.

In our forums, one of our learners, J, provides a helpful explanation:

“Artificial intelligence can be described as when machines carry out tasks in an intelligent or smart way, based on set rules to solve certain problems. Artificial intelligence, or AI, makes decisions, learns, and solves problems similar to how humans would.

Machine learning, on the other hand, is a subset of artificial intelligence. It’s when we give machines data and have them learn from that data on their own, without being explicitly programmed. Machine learning models learn from the data and try to make improvements to its predictions over time.”

So machine learning is a subset of the AI field, but not all AI is machine learning. AI is a broader field. Check out our blog on the differences between AI, machine learning, and deep learning to learn more.

What does an AI Engineer do?

AI Engineers develop new applications and systems to:

  • Enhance the performance and efficiency of business processes
  • Help the business make better decisions
  • Lower costs
  • Increase revenue and profits

Simply put, they use software engineering and data science to streamline a business with automation.

Many of an AI Engineer’s tasks overlap with those of a Machine Learning Engineer. Some of the responsibilities of an AI Engineer include:

  • Coordinating with business leaders and software development teams to determine what business processes can be improved by using AI
  • Creating and maintaining the AI development process and the infrastructure that it runs on.
  • Applying machine learning techniques for image recognition.
  • Applying natural language processing techniques to text and voice transcripts to pull insights and analytics from this data.
  • Building and maintaining chatbots that interact with customers.
  • Developing AI-driven solutions that mimic human behavior to accomplish repetitive tasks currently done by people.
  • Building, training, and perfecting machine learning models.
  • Simplifying the machine learning process so that other business applications can interact with them using APIs.
  • Building recommendation engines for shopping sites, streaming services, and other applications.
  • Developing data pipelines that streamline the process of transforming raw data into the structured data necessary for AI processes.

Required skills for an AI Engineer

AI is a broad field, and an AI Engineer requires both the skills of a Software Engineer and those of a Data Scientist. It may even help to know mathematics and statistics.

An AI Engineer definitely needs to know at least one programming language and will usually end up learning multiple during their career. Many of the tools that AI Engineers use to make their job easier will require knowledge of Python, R, or Java.

To build and work with machine learning models, an AI Engineer will also need to know the fundamentals of various machine learning frameworks, like TensorFlow, Theano, PyTorch, and Caffe. They’ll also need to know how to turn raw data into the features that machine learning models use. In our skill path Build Deep Learning Models with TensorFlow, you’ll learn how to train, test, and tune neural networks for regression and classification.

Additionally, an AI Engineer must have experience with a variety of machine learning model types and what type of jobs they work best for. These types include:

  • Neural networks
  • Recurrent neural networks
  • K-nearest neighbors algorithms
  • General adversarial networks
  • Supervised learning
  • Unsupervised learning
  • Random forests
  • Reinforcement learning

To actually create new models and understand how they work, an AI expert may have to know linear algebra, probability, and statistics instead of using pre-built models. These topics help you understand hidden Markov models, Naive Bayes, Gaussian mixture models, and linear discriminant analysis — the techniques used in machine learning.

Data is also a vital part of an AI Engineer’s job. A lot of that data is stored in relational database management systems, so having a basic knowledge of SQL, the language of databases, comes in handy. Still, some of this data will be stored in unstructured or semi-structured data stores — so knowing big data technologies like Apache Spark, Apache Hadoop, Cassandra, and MongoDB is a big plus.

AI Engineers require more than technical skills, though. They must also:

  • Be meticulous and detail-oriented because small inconsistencies in data can cause big discrepancies in machine learning models.
  • Have excellent communication skills because many of the people they work with won’t understand much of what they do. They’ll have to explain the results of their tasks in a way that anyone can understand.
  • Be good at big-picture thinking so they can understand business needs and build AI systems that benefit the company.

AI Engineer salary

AI Engineers make good money. According to 2023 data from the tech salaries site Levels.fyi, an AI Engineer in the U.S. earns $247,200 per year on average.

Understanding these newer AI skills can really boost your individual earning potential. A recent report from the job search site Indeed found that when job descriptions included “generative AI” as a desired skill, the salary rose 47%.

As more organizations look to integrate AI into their services and offerings, the demand for AI Engineers who can implement the technology is increasing. In Skillsoft’s 2023 IT Skills and Salary Report, 30% of IT decision-makers report having the most difficulty hiring qualified AI professionals. By mastering the in-demand skills and getting experience working with generative AI, you can stand out in the competitive job market.

How to become an AI Engineer

Gone are the days when a computer science degree or even any college degree would be required to become an AI Engineer. Good AI Engineers are just in too much demand to require a degree, and employers have learned that many skilled AI experts don’t even need one. They do it because they love the work.

If AI is the career path for you, and you don’t have a degree or want to spend four years learning artificial intelligence, you don’t have to. There are plenty of educational opportunities to learn AI online whenever you have the time and wherever you are in the world. Plus, most of the tools you need for the learning process are open-source and freely available online.

If you’re new to AI and looking for the best place to start your journey, why not try Codecademy? We have lots of courses that are designed to get you comfortable with using generative AI in your work and daily life. Start with Intro to OpenAI API to dig into large language models and effective prompts. Or you can focus on AI skills that complement your software development tasks, like Learn How to Use AI for Coding and Learn How to Use AI for Data Analysis.

Since knowing at least one programming language is a prerequisite for becoming an AI Engineer, a great place to start is our Learn Python 3 course. Python is one of the top languages used by Data Scientists and AI Engineers. It’s also a requirement of our Build a Machine Learning Model skill path. If you’re committed to becoming an AI professional, check out our Machine Learning/AI Engineer career path that covers all of the skills you’ll need as an AI Engineer.

While taking these courses, make sure to also learn and work on custom AI projects on your own time and add both your course projects and side projects to your portfolio. Try to find projects that are similar to the work you’ll perform on the job. For example, the programs you’ll build in our Build a Recommender System skill path can help prepare you to work with streaming services, social media platforms, dating apps, and other organizations that provide users with personalized recommendations. In the skill path Data and Programming Foundations for AI, you’ll get to complete three projects that you can consider for your portfolio, too.

Also, keep your LinkedIn profile updated with your new learning achievements and projects to make it stand out for recruiters and companies looking for AI Engineers. It also pays to practice interviewing skills to be ready when you get a call from a recruiter — our new interview simulator can help you prepare.

Keep learning today

Never stop learning. AI is a broad field, and learning Python and machine learning fundamentals is a great start, but each skill you add to your resume can increase your value to a company.

For even more courses to build your AI skills, check out our full course catalog and revisit the skills section of this article. Good luck with your AI career path!

This blog was originally published in January 2022 and has been updated to include the latest salary data and new AI courses and paths.

Would You Want a Robot to Speak at Your Graduation?

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Would You Want a Robot to Speak at Your Graduation?

In “An A.I. Robot Named Sophia Tells Graduates to Believe in Themselves,” Jesus Jiménez writes:

When it comes to choosing a commencement speaker, colleges and universities take different approaches. Some go local, selecting well-known figures in the area. Others take a stately route, opting for a former or current politician. Actors or comedians are often asked to speak.

But in a world where artificial intelligence is everywhere, one university in New York opted for a robot using artificial intelligence to speak to graduates over the weekend.

For its spring commencement on Saturday, D’Youville University, a private institution in Buffalo, had an A.I. robot named Sophia address a crowd of more than 2,000 students, faculty members and their families in a bold decision that drew mixed reactions.

Dr. Lorrie Clemo, the president of D’Youville University, said in an interview on Wednesday that the university wanted to open up new perspectives around A.I., given its “rapid emergence into the broad society.”

“We wanted to showcase how important technology is, and the potential for technology to really enrich the human experience,” Dr. Clemo said.

The article continues:

Sophia also did not read from prepared remarks. Instead, the robot was asked questions by John Rizk, the student body president.

But where Sophia’s address did mirror essentially any other commencement address was the generic advice it shared with the graduating class.

Because Sophia could not offer life advice “that comes from a lived human experience,” Mr. Rizk asked the robot if it could talk about the most common insights shared in graduation speeches.

“Although every commencement address is different, there are clear themes used by all speakers as you embark on this new chapter of your lives,” Sophia said. “I offer you the following inspirational advice that is common at all graduation ceremonies: Embrace lifelong learning, be adaptable, pursue your passions, take risks, foster meaningful connections, make a positive impact and believe in yourself.”

The most common piece of advice given in commencement speeches? Embrace failure, Sophia said.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • If you could have any speaker at your graduation — human or robot; celebrity, politician, or business person — whom would you choose and why? What would you hope that person would say?

  • What’s your reaction to an A.I. robot delivering the commencement address at D’Youville University? Do you think it was a bold, clever and forward-thinking choice by the school? Or do you agree with some students who thought having a robot address the class felt impersonal, especially for those who also attended virtual high school graduations during the Covid pandemic in 2020?

  • The article says that the robot, Sophia, gave advice she compiled from other commencement addresses, such as “embrace lifelong learning,” “pursue your passions” and “believe in yourself.” Do you find such sentiments, whether from a robot or a human, inspiring and meaningful? Or are they clichéd and off-putting? What’s the best, most memorable or most moving advice you have received during a graduation ceremony?

  • Funny or profound, inspiring or practical, what advice — or what gift — would you give to this year’s graduates?

  • Whether you’re graduating from high school or middle school, or simply moving up a grade, what are you most excited and anxious about as you look ahead to the next chapter in life?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Friends?

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Friends?

Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this image, or write about a memory from your own life that this illustration makes you think of.

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

Word of the Day: pseudonym

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Word of the Day: pseudonym

The word pseudonym has appeared 108 times on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 31 in The New York Times Magazine article “Why Did This Guy Put a Song About Me on Spotify?” by Brett Martin:

Farley is 45 and lives with his wife, two sons and a cockapoo named Pippi in Danvers, Mass., on the North Shore. For the past 20 years, he has been releasing album after album of songs with the object of producing a result to match nearly anything anybody could think to search for. These include hundreds of songs name-checking celebrities from the very famous to the much less so …

… I was aware, of course, that on some level I’d been had, the one tiny fish vain enough to be snared in Farley’s trawl. It left me a bit paranoid. “Charlie Roxburgh” suddenly seemed like such a perfect Boston pseudonym that I spent a day investigating whether he was a real person. (He’s real, lives in Connecticut and makes corporate videos for his day job.) …

Can you correctly use the word pseudonym in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how pseudonym can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

GUEST POST: Metacognition in the Classroom: What it Looks Like and How to Foster it

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GUEST POST: Metacognition in the Classroom: What it Looks Like and How to Foster it

Metacognition allows students to be more expert-like in their thinking and more effective and efficient in their learning.

Modeling Strategies

As educators, you think metacognitively all the time: reflecting on your current understanding, assessing what the burning questions are, and considering how your thinking has changed over the years with new information. Your students need to see and hear this process from you! To see/hear how you solve a problem: how you start, how you decide what to do first and then next, how you check your work, how you know when you’re done — that is all metacognitive modeling!

Dr. Kimberly Tanner from San Francisco State University in California has produced some quality resources on promoting metacognition within the teaching environment. In her 2012 article (3), she provided some sample self-questions for faculty that could be used to promote metacognition about their own teaching practices and classrooms. This is another method of modeling metacognition: You can outwardly share with your students this process you’re going through in order to directly model metacognition, or you can use these self-questions to just be more aware of the metacognition processes and thus, hopefully, ultimately help you to have a greater lens and understanding of this concept, which would undoubtedly positively impact your students as well.

Pre/Post Assessments

Pre assessment can be helpful for the learner and is a wonderful opportunity for promoting metacognition among students. “What do I already know about this topic that would guide my learning?” is an example of a self-question that is at the core of most pre assessments used by instructors. It takes no more than a few simple, reflective questions by an instructor to transform an existing pre assessment prompt. It could be a short addition to a homework assignment, or a question or two on an index card or “clicker question” at the beginning of class.   Creating opportunity for these reflections via a pre-assessment prior to lecture can pay significant metacognitive dividends.

Similarly, a specific post assessment tool that can be done is called an “exam wrapper”—after an exam, the student would complete a form or answer questions such as: When did you start preparing for the exam? How did you prepare? What types of questions were the most challenging for you and why? Name 3 things you will do differently for your next exam. However it is done, (written, orally, etc.), post-assessments provide the student with the much needed reflection and evaluation that is KEY in having strong metacognitive skills.

Prompts Integrated into Course Activities

Here are three styles of metacognition prompts that educators could utilize in their classrooms (3):

Pair or group discussion: Direct students to answer a question about the course content. Then, in pairs or groups, have them share how they thought about what the question was asking. Share the process they used to arrive at an answer they wanted to choose. What was the main reason for choosing that answer? Etc. and then, they can hear and discuss further how their ideas compare with their neighbor’s ideas.

Using Active-learning tasks (such as case studies, concept maps, and problem sets) and then have the students reflect. For example, ask them to pose three questions that they had about the concepts explored in the assignment that they still cannot answer. Other ideas: Describe at least two ideas related to this assignment that you found confusing. How was the way you approached completing this assignment different compared with the last time we had an assignment like this? What advice would you give yourself based on what you know now if you were starting this assignment all over again?

Lastly, in preparing for exams, you can use the following prompts to get students to use metacognition to plan for studying: How do you plan to prepare for the upcoming exam? Why? What resources are available to support you? How will you make sure to use these? What concepts have you found most confusing so far? What concepts have been most clear? Given that, how should you spend your study time in preparing for the exam?

A Parent’s Guide to Recognising Cognitive Milestones in Early Childhood

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A Parent’s Guide to Recognising Cognitive Milestones in Early Childhood

Written by Liau Alex

Understanding cognitive milestones in early childhood is crucial for parents, as it provides insights into their child’s development and helps create a supportive environment. Early cognitive development lays the foundation for future learning and problem-solving abilities. In this guide, we will explore various cognitive milestones from birth to three years, aiding parents in recognising and nurturing their child’s cognitive growth.

Cognitive Milestones: Birth to 6 Months

During the first six months, infants undergo rapid sensory and motor development. Their ability to perceive and interact with the world around them evolves significantly.

Sensory Development

In the initial months, babies are highly responsive to visual and auditory stimuli. They begin to track objects with their eyes and show a preference for faces, indicating early social awareness. Additionally, their hearing sharpens, allowing them to distinguish between different sounds and voices.

Motor Skills

Infants exhibit reflexive movements such as sucking and rooting, which are essential for survival. They gradually develop the ability to grasp objects, starting with involuntary reflexes that later become intentional actions. These early motor skills lay the groundwork for more complex movements in the future.

Cognitive Milestones: 6 to 12 Months

Between six to twelve months, infants display remarkable cognitive advancements, marked by increased exploration and understanding of their environment.

Object Permanence

Around six months, babies begin to grasp the concept of object permanence, realising that objects continue to exist even when out of sight. This newfound understanding contributes to their ability to engage in purposeful play and seek out hidden objects.

Cause and Effect

Infants start to comprehend cause-and-effect relationships, such as realising that pressing a button produces a sound. This cognitive leap fosters curiosity and experimentation, encouraging further exploration of their surroundings.

Language Development

By their first birthday, infants typically utter their first words and comprehend simple instructions. Language development not only facilitates communication but also enhances cognitive abilities by enabling children to categorise objects and concepts through words.

Cognitive Milestones: 1 to 2 Years

Toddlers between one and two years exhibit burgeoning cognitive skills, characterised by increased independence and problem-solving abilities.

Symbolic Play

During this stage, children engage in symbolic play, using objects to represent other items or people. This imaginative play fosters creativity and symbolic thinking, laying the groundwork for abstract thought processes.

Problem-Solving Skills

Toddlers demonstrate rudimentary problem-solving skills, such as stacking blocks or fitting shapes into corresponding holes. Through trial and error, they learn to overcome obstacles, enhancing their cognitive flexibility and perseverance.

Memory Development

By the age of two, children start to retain and recall information more efficiently, evident in their ability to remember past events and follow simple routines. Memory development plays a crucial role in learning and adapting to new situations.

Cognitive Milestones: 2 to 3 Years

Preschoolers between two and three years undergo significant cognitive growth, characterised by heightened imagination and social awareness.

Imagination and Creativity

At this stage, children develop rich imaginary worlds, engaging in pretend play scenarios and storytelling. Their burgeoning imagination fosters creativity and divergent thinking, essential for problem-solving and innovation.

Understanding of Time Concepts

While still abstract, preschoolers begin to grasp basic time concepts such as yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This emerging understanding of time aids in sequencing events and planning activities, laying the groundwork for future temporal comprehension.

Social Cognition

Preschoolers exhibit increased social cognition, demonstrating empathy and understanding the perspectives of others. They engage in cooperative play and start forming friendships, laying the foundation for healthy social relationships.

Recognising and nurturing cognitive milestones in early childhood is essential for parents to support their child’s holistic development. By understanding the progression of cognitive abilities from birth to three years, parents can create enriching environments that stimulate their child’s intellectual growth and prepare them for future academic and social success.

Looking to improve your child’s cognitive skills? Nurture Pods offers an enticing opportunity with their free online course. This comprehensive programme introduces you to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), covering its theories, rules, and techniques. With a focus on practicality, the course provides detailed demonstrations of various ABA techniques, including chaining and patterning.

These techniques aren’t just about behavioural modification; they have far-reaching effects on development, enhancing motor skills, language proficiency, cognitive function, and visuospatial skills. By integrating these evidence-based strategies into your child’s routine, you can create an enriching environment that fosters growth and learning.

Whether you’re a parent looking to support your child’s developmental journey or a professional seeking to expand your toolkit, this free online course offers valuable insights and practical techniques to enhance cognitive skills. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to empower your child and unlock their full potential. 

Explore more courses by Alex Liau Alex here.

About The Author

Liau Alex obtained his degree in Psychology from the National University of Singapore and specialises in childhood disorders, specifically learning and behavioural difficulties. He has many years of experience working with children exhibiting a wide array of learning and behaviour challenges, many of whom have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

As an author, Alex has two titles published by Future Horizons Inc. (USA), the world leader in autism and sensory resources. Schools worldwide have used his books for inclusive education and parent training for children with special needs. Titles under his name include School Shadow Guidelines (2015) and A Parent’s Guide to Early Intervention (2021).

Alex received training on early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) in Australia and subsequently went to the USA, where he received relationship development intervention (RDI) training under Dr Steven Gutstein and Dr Rachel Sheely. He has presented in Australia, Houston, and Singapore and has also been invited to participate in media interviews. Furthermore, he has worked with clients from across the globe, including China, Taiwan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Should Dogs Be Allowed Inside Restaurants and Stores?

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Should Dogs Be Allowed Inside Restaurants and Stores?

Do you ever see people bring dogs inside restaurants, stores or other businesses where you live? If you do, what is your reaction? Are you excited? Indifferent? Annoyed?

Do you think pet owners should be allowed to bring their animals inside public spaces and businesses? Why or why not? If not, do you think there any exceptions?

In “Does Your Dog Really Belong in This Restaurant?” Rachel Sugar writes about how these questions are playing out in New York City establishments. The article begins:

On a quiet weekday evening inside a restaurant in Brooklyn, a dog under a table announced its presence with a single pronounced yap. At a scoop shop in downtown Manhattan, a large white poodle was spoon-fed what appeared to be vanilla ice cream. In the dining room of a chic Midtown restaurant, a teacup Pomeranian strutted across the floor.

When it comes to dogs in restaurants, two things can be true at once: first, according to the New York City health code, “no live animal shall be kept, housed or permitted to enter into or remain in any food service establishment,” with a few exceptions, including service animals and city-approved dog cafes like Boris & Horton.

Second: the dog nibbling a French fry at the next table.

There are 617,000 licensed dogs in New York City, and the vast majority, presumably, eat in. But while no city agency tracks how many dogs are regulars at the city’s restaurants, anecdotal evidence suggests that the number is far from zero. Whether this is a scourge or a delight depends on whom you ask — and tensions between the two camps can run high.

“Nowadays, it’s very common to see dogs in restaurants,” said Beth Torin, a restaurant-safety consultant who until 2020 was executive director of the Office of Food Safety in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “Nobody goes anywhere without their dogs.”

The article continues:

What happens next is straightforward, at least in theory. The Americans With Disabilities Act allows the staff to ask just two questions: Is the dog a service animal, required because of the owner’s disability? And what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? This should mean that service dogs get in with no problems, and other pets are gently redirected outside. (Pets are allowed on outdoor patios at the restaurant’s discretion.)

In practice, this is often not what happens: “People are afraid to deny a dog,” said Thomas Panek, the chief executive and president of the nonprofit Guiding Eyes for the Blind, in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. (Mr. Panek, who is legally blind, is assisted by a service dog named Ten.) A result is that, over time, “they have all these bad experiences with dogs that really shouldn’t be in the restaurant.”

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Did anything you read surprise you? If so, what? How does the situation with dogs in restaurants in New York City compare with where you live? If you live in New York, have you observed that dogs are as prevalent in restaurants as the article reports?

  • The article states that although most dogs are not allowed in New York City restaurants, the rule is not always enforced. Do you think it should be? Why or why not?

  • If you have dogs, do you ever bring them to indoor businesses? Why or why not? If you do, what is the experience like? Is it fun? Is it ever stressful?

  • In the article, Olivia Jean Hamilton said that when other people lie about their pets being service animals, it can negatively affect people like her who are assisted by mobility dogs. What is your reaction to that? Do you relate to it? Does it make you think differently about bringing your dog places if it is not a service animal? What, if anything, do you think can be done about this situation?

  • Do you work or volunteer at a restaurant, store or other place where people might bring their dogs? Are dogs allowed? If they aren’t, do you have to enforce the rules? What is that like? If dogs are allowed, do you like their being around? Does it depend on the dog?

  • If it were up to you to make the rules about where dogs can go in public, what would those rules be? What do you think is fair to everyone involved? Explain.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Lapel Buttons

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Lapel Buttons

What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related Opinion essay to learn more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

Word of the Day: hubbub

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Word of the Day: hubbub

The word hubbub has appeared in 41 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on April 1 in “Once Upon a Time, the World of Picture Books Came to Life” by Elisabeth Egan:

During a sneak peek in December, it was hard to imagine how this semi-construction zone would coalesce into a museum. The 22,000 square foot fabrication section was abuzz with drills and saws. A whiteboard showed assembly diagrams and punch lists. (Under “Random jobs,” someone had jotted, “Write Christmas songs.”) The entryway and lower level — known as the grotto and the burrow — were warrens of scaffolding and machinery.

But there were pockets of calm. Kelli Harrod worked on a fresco of trees outside the “Blueberries for Sal” kitchen, unfazed by the hubbub. In two years as lead painter, she’d witnessed the Rabbit Hole’s steady growth.

Can you correctly use the word hubbub in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how hubbub can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

LXP – Don’t believe the Hype

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LXP – Don’t believe the Hype

For those Gen Xers who remember the days of MTV, it sure had a lot of Hype. How many saw the debut song by the Buggles – on the first day of MTV launch (8-1-81)? Where were you on that fantastic day? I was babysitting – and saw it on that first day. I was mesmerized. Every day, I would tune into MTV and watch video after video. And so, it went on to be. VH1 showed up; I am trying to remember when. It was all videos all the time, but some of the VJs were annoying (and still are you can find a few on SiriusXM). Nevertheless, it was hot.

Plenty of bands started their growth on MTV. Duran Duran? Thank you, MTV.. YES? They have been around, but MTV took them to a new level. Adam Ant? Cyndi Lauper? Hair Bands? And the list goes on.

 Sadly, though it started to change, they added shows that were not video-related. What was unique started to become stale. A different audience target. A different approach was used, and those videos started to go bye-bye. Soon, MTV was like so many other channels. And despite a show or two, watching it as a Gen Xer began to fade. The Hype of it all. The WOW factor turned out to be OK; there is no need to view the factor.

I bring all of this up because if you look at the early days of the LXP, what was once unique, different – in many ways to other systems, explicitly learning platforms, and yes, LMSs (albeit some had those capabilities early on, but never leveraged them in their marketing or sales pitch), turned into a not even mature yet, MTV. Once the LXP market hit the mature stage, the WOW factor became just another system, with another pitch, another twist – and a new audience unaware of what was before – only to see what is now.

I won’t rehash the original standards—what made an LXP different—you can read them here, but I will note key areas, which nowadays aren’t a difference factor.

LXP Then – LXP Now

Think of the early MTV days. Or for those who tapped into MTV when it became more shows – the 90s. After that, all you knew were shows, most of them garbage – all though Jack-s was okay – and the first two movies were great (if you liked the show), the others? Caddyshack 2 and Superman IV level.

Before diving in – I will note that there are still a few vendors who maintain the original capabilities and have move forward with it – they are in ways MTV Classic – which you can find if you have cable (in the states). Degreed (who constantly changes their messaging – back to upskilling platform), Cornerstone + EdCast, Bealink are just three of the bat. Juno Journey has a lot of LXP – actually all of the capabilities mixed in with a full blown LMS and employee development platform.

Let’s return the yesteryear – Click your remote, or standup and turn the dial.

LXP Then (key items) – Ask yourself do you see that in systems today that push they have an LXP or have those features as part of their system?

Then

  • Heavy focus around skills with a specific way tapping into playlists or channels (we are talking a lot of skills capabilities – tied to job roles or not – either way, content played a huge role)

Now

  • A lot of systems, LMSs included have this same functionality, heck – there are plenty who have surpassed. On the flip side, I see a lot of “LXP” pushed OR the learning platform has an LXP in it, where the skills options are not as strong compared to their competitors – including LMSs and learning platforms – oh and those that say they are LXP focused.

Then

  • Playlists were required – Recommended, Most Popular, Skills/Interests were the basic ones. Tied around content that the learner was taking or had completed (somewhat of a misnomer with a couple of vendors, because a learner just had to click completed, even if they didn’t). But those playlists were a MUST.

Now

  • Mixed bag. Yeah, there are vendors who have playlists/channels or however they spin it, but where is “Recommended?” OR Skills/Interests? Job roles tied to skills or interests. And those vendors who push it as AI is doing this – well, it’s not generative AI, its machine learning based on an algorithm the vendor devised. Which is why your output can be skewed. If you require content to be completed, what do you think will appear as Most Popular or Recommend content? I’ve seen vendors who do not have playlists/channels nor any of those items noted – it is grid or some other design.

Then

  • Minimum of 10 3rd party publishers. The goal for an LXP was to offer a wide range of 3rd party content – regardless of if it was free (TED was and still is popular) or fee-based. 3rd party content was an integral part to an LXP.

Now

  • It’s brutal out there. I’ve heard “We do not have any 3rd party content,” or “We have a few 3rd party providers,” or “We have a content aggregator – they name the vendor.’ – Ummm. Having a few, less than 10 doesn’t make you an LXP. And the idea that you can spin it, as such, is a disservice to anyone looking. It is as though you are pushing the retro Atari game set but forgot Missile Command and all the other cool cartridges. Personally, I had Intelllivision – which IMO crushed Atari. Anyway…

Then

  • Unique design due to the whole experience approach – Every LXP back in the day – would always say the difference between them and an LMS was that they were all about informal learning, learner-centric. Compliance wasn’t the focus either. Implying an LMS was all about compliance (never true).

However, there was one small issue, which told me, that wouldn’t last long because of their focused audience. They all focused only on the L&D group, who all have a background in OD – Organizational development, and one common item was the whole leadership development piece. I knew right away, that assigned learning was just around the corner.

Tada! It didn’t even make it a year, when formal learning – the bit they all noted was only in LMSs, went out the door, then snuck back in via the window. Assigned learning playlists showed up. Every LXP had it. What? It was MTV sneaking a show or two, thinking nobody would notice the formal spin going away.

Now

  • Assigned learning as a playlist isn’t an appearance overall, rather it is just Assigned Learning in whatever format those show it as. More of the now have the assigned learning channel /playlist per se, and it usually at the very top of the playlists – if the vendor has it. Can you move it down? In a lot of systems, the answer is no. Once you go assigned learning, it is no longer learner-centric, which means the learner drives and picks the content, not the person overseeing L&D or HR.
  • Compliance content is readily available for pretty much any vendor who has 3rd party content, or a client can upload their own content – which could be compliance. I’ve seen some “LXP” intertwined with an LMS (many do not note this) or with a Learning Platform, where the output metrics – first up? Compliance!

Then

  • Feature sets pushed as not common – compared to LMSs (always the focus for LXP vendors as though the LXP was a traditional (worst word ever – but effective in marketing), archaic, outdated dinosaur.

Now

  • Feature sets are ubiquitous to an LMS. So much for the archaic, dated vibe. I blame VH1 for this. Actually, no, I blame vendors who had no idea what an LXP really was – which I found a lot of vendors who have an “LXP” as part of their system – are in the no idea club.

Walk a show – and check out how many vendors note they have an LXP in their system – as part of the marketing scene. It’s quite common. Just as many who push the whole AI thing, it’s now the new hype, but that’s for another day on what is real and uh, what isn’t accurate. Spin works, my dear friend. I blame cable for that.

Why do so many people believe the LXP hype?

Because nowadays people have zeroed in to the LXP as it is more of interest than say 2018. Yes, the new monster is AI, but this post is about LXPs. Anyway, type in LXP on a search engine and see how many vendors appear with it? I tested it out with copilot from Microsoft – let’s see their short list (I won’t list them all).

I entered – Who are the Top five LXPs in 2024

  • Udemy for Business (content provider), LinkedIn Learning (content focused, and uh, no they are not 100% truly an LXP), OpenEDX (are you kidding me?), Degreed (yes, accurate), Juno Journey (yes accurate, but they also are an LMS IMO)
  • The sources of this information are disco.co, techacademy.com, g2.com (owned by Gartner, who also owns Software Advice and Capterra. I can state that there are vendors in each of those solutions, who are not LXPs, let alone an LMS. Plus, there are some links that go nowhere. Anyway), hrlineup.com – Wait you also see that related to LXP vendors is a link to Software Advice that says LMS vendors.
  • Let’s take a gander on what disco.co, techacademy, and hrlineup.com really says – Disco.co – is a learning platform who pitches themselves as a Modern Learning Platform (whatever that means); the list above – it shows up on their site along with NovoEd – which is a cohort platform first and foremost. When you click the modern learning platform of Disco – no mention of an LXP, it’s AI and hey, LMS is there too. Tech Academy’s post is from May 2023; but hey look – TechAcademy is the #1 LXP. They also list Cornerstone an LMS with LXP capabilities – even without EdCast BTW; Docebo LXP? Huh. Docebo lacks some LXP options, but they never refer to themselves as Docebo LXP. Udemy is there again! Continu LMS. A few other vendors are there including 360Learning – who I can tell you, lacks some of the items noted above and isn’t what I would call an LXP.

Oh, I can tell you that they aren’t despite TA calling themselves an LXP. And why is LMS constantly noted? Whoever wrote the list of LXPs with HRLineup seriously needs to get an understanding here. Pathgather is noted—they haven’t been around for years. There is no such thing as Cornerstone LXP, and why is Cloudshare a virtual labs system #1? The list is brutal. There is no need to go further.

If you type it in Google, you get sponsored first, followed by a list of folks, including aggregator sites. I did a quick look at the latest AI models out there. I will only note how many of the Top Five LXPs, those LLMs—latest Gen AI offerings—are correct.

  • GPT-4o (newest GPT model out there) – Zero out of five
  • Claude-3 Opus (newest model) – They showed 4 out of the five same vendors as the GPT model. Zero out of five. The sources though? Paradiso (which what a surprise, is on the list), our friends at hrlineup and disco.co (AWESOME) – Definitely not Hungry as a Wolf level
  • Gemini 1.5 Flash (latest model) – Same list as the others, zero out of five
  • Llama 3 (from Meta) – Same List

One of the challenges with AI models is that their retorts can change – one minute this, one minute that. I re-tested with GPT-4o, and this time, the list was slightly different with two vendors – one a legit LXP – Degreed, and the other that has many LXP features – Absorb. The sources? 360 learning, Paradiso Solutions (learning platform), and our good friends over at HRlineup. 

Even though 360 wrote a list, they were not listed in the top five according to the latest model from OpenAI.

This brings to light the reliance of many on copilot or Gemini (formerly Bard) for information, often neglecting other LLM models and their unique perspectives. 

When using a search engine, the results can be a jumble, with numerous entities that are not LXPs, let alone equipped with enough features to be considered as such. 

As you can see, vendors’ names of their system have changed – in some of these lists. They just do not exist.

Bottom Line

I miss the original MTV. It was a time when as a Gen X-r, the music was rad (remember that term?), the videos were either awful – design and music wise; or something you have never seen before. Sure, you can find those types of videos on YouTube, but it’s not the same thing.

That’s how I see the LXPs. Initially something cool. A learning system that thought and went a different way. Promoted and marketed as such. But they missed their mark by getting into the assigned learning side, dropping learner-centric and informal along the way.

Vendors who hype up the words LXP – but are lacking enough to make it be, are ignoring a basic principle that all of us often forget.

It’s okay

To no longer believe the hype.

Because that’s all it is.

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