I do know you've heard of gamification, however have you ever ever heard of festification? That's what Microsoft can be doing in April and Might, with the Microsoft AI Abilities Fest. It's slightly odd, however it additionally seems to be prefer it is likely to be a heck of numerous enjoyable.
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I've written rather a lot about Microsoft through the years. I've praised its improvements. I've mocked its product naming. However this can be a new one, even for me. Apparently, Microsoft (or some group of wacky advertising and marketing executives within the firm) needs to set a brand new world report.
Going for a Guinness World File
Microsoft is severe about this, too. It concerned the precise Guinness World Information group in its plans.
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Because it seems, you may get a world report for nearly something. Certain, you may get a world report for essentially the most spoons balanced on a physique, the quickest 100-meter dash on all fours, being the world's tallest man, and having essentially the most apples held in your individual mouth and minimize by a chainsaw. That final one was by Wang Lei in Dezhou China, again in 2020 (hey, all of us wanted one thing to maintain us busy throughout lockdowns).
However Microsoft is attempting for a world report in (and I swear I didn’t make this up) "essentially the most customers to finish a web based multi-level synthetic intelligence lesson in 24 hours."
Apparently, this has already been a factor. Final yr, 46,045 on-line individuals, working underneath the auspices of GUVI Geek Community Non-public Restricted in collaboration with the Authorities of Uttar Pradesh, India, accomplished a 31-minute lesson, adopted by 15 multiple-choice questions to establish studying high quality. The occasion, a part of the South Asian Ladies in Tech occasion collection, earned the group an official Guinness World File.
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This isn't even the one on-line learning-related report or solely report by a giant company:
- Most customers to take a web based monetary literacy lesson in 24 hours: awarded to Capital One with 1,812 individuals in 2024.
- Largest laptop programming lesson: achieved by Magma Expertise Studio and Instituto Superior Técnico – Universidade de Lisboa in Portugal with 1,668 folks in 2024.
- Most customers to take a web based progress hacking advertising and marketing lesson in 24 hours (you significantly can't make these items up): Awarded to Raikk Chan Kok Woei (Malaysia) in Hong Kong, in 2023.
Free AI coaching for everybody
Microsoft's try and win bragging rights advantages you and me as a result of we get some free AI coaching out of the deal. The multi-level quest includes sequential phases, starting from an introduction to AI, core ideas like machine studying, laptop imaginative and prescient, and pure language processing, to sensible instruments (Azure and Copilot, 'natch), and constructing some apps by yourself.
The thought is that the programs are open for all talent ranges. You’ll be able to study early phases of the teachings if you happen to're new to AI, or work on deeper subjects if you happen to're extra accustomed to AI ideas. Though there are tiers of studying, it's packaged as a single expertise. You’ll be able to work by any or the entire classes as a part of one unified course.
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Classes can be found in Albanian, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese language, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, World, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Macedonian, Mandarin Chinese language, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Simplified Chinese language, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
Sadly, conversational Klingon just isn’t on supply.
The primary occasion, the world report try, runs from April 7 at 23:00 UTC to April 8 at 23:00 UTC. However there's much more, together with hackathons, self-paced studying, challenges, group boards and meetups, and even (is that this actually a shock?) a possibility for Microsoft's companions to pitch their AI-related coaching and associated wares.
For these getting began, there are classes like Utilizing AI for on a regular basis duties. This lesson will assist you to "Perceive generative AI and establish methods to make use of AI at residence and at work. Write efficient prompts and discover useful assets."
For example of the extra superior subjects, you may take a course in Microsoft Cloth, Microsoft's information analytics platform. The problem helps you put together for the DP-700 certification. Throughout Abilities Fest, the course is free, however if you happen to do wish to turn into licensed, that's one thing you'll have to pay for outdoor the Abilities Fest atmosphere, and it's roughly $165.
Prizes, reductions, and participation awards
In case you don't wish to pay for certifications, you could be in luck. In case you enter the Microsoft AI Abilities Fest Problem Sweepstakes (one other identify I couldn't make up), you might be able to win one in all 50,000 free certification vouchers awarded throughout weekly drawings.
GitHub is providing a 50% low cost code for GitHub's latest certification examination, GitHub Copilot. When you end the GitHub Study module, you'll be given a reduction code, which can be legitimate till Might 28, 2025. To ensure you don't dilly or dally, it’s essential to full the examination by June 30, 2025.
Now, right here's what's bought me freaking out about geeking out. In case you register and full a coaching throughout the 24-hour interval of the Guinness World File problem on April 7-8, 2025, you’ll obtain … await it … a participation badge. I imply, how uncontrolled is that? You would put "participated in Guinness World File problem" in your LinkedIn profile (additionally owned by Microsoft, btw).
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Sure, you too may very well be tangentially superior, you Guinness World File holder enabler participant, you!
Register now
I'm going to do it. I registered on the Microsoft AI Abilities Fest registration web page. I instructed them I'm over 18 (if not emotionally, not less than bodily). I checked the assertion that made all of it appear oh-so-real:
If I take part within the Al Abilities Fest Occasion world report try, I hereby authorize Microsoft to behave as my consultant and to enter into the relevant settlement with Guinness World Information on my behalf and I acknowledge that I’ve reviewed the relevant phrases of the Guinness World Information Phrases and Situations.
I'm going to have an settlement by proxy with Guinness World Information. In case you go to the registration web page and share your particulars, it’s also possible to take part, assist Microsoft win a world report, and possibly even study one thing.
All Microsoft wants is 46,046 on-line individuals so as to win a fairly plaque that may be held on the wall throughout the hall and down the corridor from Satya Nadella's nook workplace on the fifth ground of Constructing 34.
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What about you? Have you ever ever hung out shopping the Guinness World Information simply to see the wild, artistic, or inspiring issues folks have completed? Had been there any data that shocked you or made you curious to study extra?
Are you planning on registering for the AI Abilities Fest? Are there some AI abilities you wish to enhance? What about serving to Microsoft win a Guinness World File? Are you prepared to assist them obtain the top of company area of interest advertising and marketing success? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
Oh, and for the report, regardless of my apparent enthusiastically unrestrained sarcasm, this can be a good factor. It's free coaching on a scorching matter from a well-respected firm. It's positively price taking a while and studying some AI abilities. In all seriousness, I'm going to take among the courses and I like to recommend you do, too.
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