Global Innovation Race 2023 Case Study: Mica

Unleashing Creativity: Mica’s Journey Through Global Innovation Race 2023

Excited for a chance to travel to the USA with her school, Mica, a 10th-grade student at Keystone Academy in Beijing brought her passion for music and technology to Global Innovation Race (GIR) 2023.

Despite her interest in technology, before attending GIR Mica was a little afraid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). For her, it seemed like something that could take away jobs and creativity.

Accompanied by her teacher and chaperone, Sandra Chow, Mica embarked on a journey that would redefine her perceptions.

Challenging Perceptions

Before GIR, Mica viewed AI with a mix of fascination and apprehension. She saw AI as a distant force with the potential to replace human creativity and feared its implications for the future. However, her experience at GIR shattered these preconceptions. Through workshops, tours, discussions, and hands-on activities, Mica realized the vast potential of AI to enhance human capabilities rather than replace them.

“GIR let me become more positive about AI right now. I feel like it’s probably bringing a lot more benefits to the world than the negatives. So I actually changed my mindset to openly and positively appreciate all these technologies, and even trying to learn and to maybe play a part in it in the future.”

Collaborative Innovation

During GIR, Mica and her peers leveraged AI to generate ideas and develop solutions to real-world problems. They combined AI algorithms with their insights and experiences to create innovative projects.

Mica’s team, inspired by the diversity of talents at GIR, devised a solution using AI to analyze teenagers’ personalities and strengths, aiding in career guidance and personal development.

The collaborative process, fueled by brainstorming sessions with tools like ChatGPT, allowed her to experience the positive synergy between human input and AI-generated ideas.

“When generating ideas, we actually used ChatGPT to help us to come up with different, interesting and possible ideas. And then we added our personal input into it. For example, some of our own experiences or some of our own insights. So that’s kind of how humans and AI can collaborate together to come up with an idea.

The Power of Teamwork

Mica’s project experience mirrored her personal growth. Initially marked by disagreements and slow progress, the team achieved a breakthrough when they recognized and leveraged each member’s unique strengths.

“I learned how to collaborate with a lot of people… After communication and also collaboration, we found that each of our team members has something special that they’re talented in. And when we applied all the skills and put them into the development of our project, we found that each of us could contribute a lot. And that is what made it successful.”

Mica’s Advice and Favorite Memories

Mica fondly recalls her favorite moments from GIR, emphasizing the enriching experiences she had.

“I have to say. It’s so hard to choose. There’s a lot of things that I really like about the program, and among them I really can remember the experience like traveling around in the Art Museum. And I really really enjoyed the way, how you taught us to record our own thoughts about different things around our life, and express and learn more about our own opinions. And also, another favorite thing is visiting Tesla, because it’s so cool. And lastly, I also enjoyed the work time on the project with my teammates, because it’s really like building closer relationships with different people all around the world.

She emphasizes the importance of positive and creative engagement with AI, encouraging younger students to embrace the technology while maintaining a rational mindset.

“For younger generations, I think it’s a good thing for them to bravely try out about all these new technologies and then try to kind of incorporate it into their life because it’s very fun experimenting with. At the same time, they have to be pretty like objective and rational with this AI stuff so that they’re not using it in a wrong way.”

Mica’s advice and favorite memories underscore the personal growth and meaningful connections fostered by GIR, contributing to a holistic understanding of the program’s impact.

Teacher’s Perspective

Sandra Chow, Mica’s teacher, and GIR Chaperone, witnessed firsthand the transformative impact on her students. She observed how GIR fostered a supportive, cross-cultural learning environment, sparking creativity and a newfound appreciation for AI’s potential.

“It was a valuable journey of learning, not only from the places we visited but also from the wonderful people that we met and collaborated with. The reflections of their learning experience showed a lot of depth in their learning process.”

Looking Forward

Mica’s experience in Silicon Valley opened her eyes to its vast possibilities and inspired a positive outlook on its role in shaping the future. Originally hesitant about emerging tech, she is now eager to explore ethical considerations and data privacy concerns and is determined to use AI responsibly in the future.

Global Innovation Race 2023 was not a competition but a transformative experience for Mica, Sandra, and all participants. It challenged perceptions, fostered collaboration, and inspired innovative thinking.

As Mica aptly summarized, GIR was not about winning, but about embracing the journey of learning and discovery.

Mica concluded. “In GIR, we didn’t compete; we learned from everything around us. It was a valuable journey of growth and collaboration.”

Hear Mica’s Story

To gain a deeper understanding of Mica’s experience, watch her video testimonial below…