AlphAI meets middle school students: a look back at an inspiring conference at EFREI

On April 11, a fine bridge was built between the demanding world of artificial intelligence and that of middle-school students in the midst of discovering their future. Thomas Deneux, President of Learning Robots and creator of the AlphAI educational solution, had the honor of giving a talk at EFREI Paris, to a class of 3ᵉ students from Collège Karl Marx in Villejuif.

The event was part of the "Cordée de la Réussite" initiative, a national program designed to encourage academic ambition, in particular by supporting students from disadvantaged neighborhoods or modest backgrounds, giving them access to paths of excellence.

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In front of some 30 attentive students, Thomas shared his personal and professional journey, from neuroscience researcher to artificial intelligence entrepreneur. But above all, he showed them how AI, often perceived as complex and inaccessible, can become an exciting playground... thanks to educational robotics.

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The AlphAI demonstration captivated the students: they discovered a robot capable of learning by itself, and understood the fundamental principles of neural networks and machine learning in a simple, fun and interactive way. For many, it was their first concrete encounter with AI, and a revelation.

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Beyond the technical aspects, this conference was above all an opportunity to convey a strong message: scientific and technological professions are not reserved for the few. They're open to everyone, as long as they dare, believe in themselves, and have the right tools to learn.

Feedback has been extremely positive, both from the students and their teachers.

At Learning Robots, we're convinced that equal opportunity also means mastering the technological skills of tomorrow. Making artificial intelligence accessible from secondary school onwards means giving young people the keys to understanding the world... and perhaps even transforming it.

Our warmest thanks go to EFREI for its warm welcome, and to the "Cordée de la Réussite" teams for their commitment to opening up horizons. And a big well done to all the students present for their curiosity and enthusiasm!