An Experience Report of Executive-Level Artificial Intelligence Education in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Teaching artificial intelligence (AI) is challenging. It is a fast moving field and therefore difficult to keep people updated with the state-of-the-art. Educational offerings for students are ever increasing, beyond university degree programs where AI education traditionally lay. In this paper, we present an experience report of teaching an AI course to business executives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Rather than focusing only on theoretical and technical aspects, we developed a course that teaches AI with a view to enabling students to understand how to incorporate it into existing business processes. We present an overview of our course, curriculum and teaching methods, and we discuss our reflections on teaching adult learners, and to students in the UAE.