I do know you’ve got heard of gamification, however have you ever ever heard of festification? That is what Microsoft might be doing in April and Could, with the Microsoft AI Abilities Fest. It is a bit odd, nevertheless it additionally seems to be prefer it may be a heck of a variety of enjoyable.
I’ve written rather a lot about Microsoft over time. 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) desires to set a brand new world report.
Going for a Guinness World Report
Microsoft is critical about this, too. It concerned the precise Guinness World Information group in its plans.
Because it seems, you will get a world report for nearly something. Certain, you will 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 12 months, 46,045 on-line members, 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 Report.
This is not even the one on-line learning-related report or solely report by an enormous company:
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 levels, 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 may study early levels of the teachings when you’re new to AI, or work on deeper matters when you’re extra acquainted with AI ideas. Though there are tiers of studying, it is packaged as a single expertise. You may work by way of any or all the classes as a part of one unified course.
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 shouldn’t be on provide.
The principle 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, neighborhood 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 “Perceive generative AI and determine methods to make use of AI at house and at work. Write efficient prompts and discover useful assets.”
For instance of the extra superior matters, you possibly can take a course in Microsoft Material, Microsoft’s information analytics platform. The problem helps you put together for the DP-700 certification. Throughout Abilities Fest, the course is free, however when you do need to grow to be licensed, that is one thing you may must pay for outdoor the Abilities Fest surroundings, and it is roughly $165.
Prizes, reductions, and participation awards
When you do not need to pay for certifications, you might be in luck. When you enter the Microsoft AI Abilities Fest Problem Sweepstakes (one other title I could not make up), you could possibly win one in every of 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 may be given a reduction code, which might be legitimate till Could 28, 2025. To be sure to do not dilly or dally, you need to full the examination by June 30, 2025.
Now, this is what’s acquired me freaking out about geeking out. When you register and full a coaching inside the 24-hour interval of the Guinness World Report problem on April 7-8, 2025, you’ll obtain … look forward to it … a participation badge. I imply, how uncontrolled is that? You would put “participated in Guinness World Report problem” in your LinkedIn profile (additionally owned by Microsoft, btw).
Sure, you too may very well be tangentially superior, you Guinness World Report holder enabler participant, you!
Register now
I’ll do it. I registered on the Microsoft AI Abilities Fest registration web page. I advised them I am over 18 (if not emotionally, no 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 Circumstances.
I’ll have an settlement by proxy with Guinness World Information. When you go to the registration web page and share your particulars, you can too take part, assist Microsoft win a world report, and possibly even study one thing.
All Microsoft wants is 46,046 on-line members with a view 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.
What about you? Have you ever ever hung out searching the Guinness World Information simply to see the wild, artistic, or inspiring issues folks have completed? Have been there any information that stunned you or made you curious to study extra?
Are you planning on registering for the AI Abilities Fest? Are there some AI abilities you need to enhance? What about serving to Microsoft win a Guinness World Report? Are you prepared to assist them obtain the top of company area of interest advertising and marketing success? Tell us within the feedback under.
Oh, and for the report, regardless of my apparent enthusiastically unrestrained sarcasm, this can be a good factor. It is free coaching on a scorching matter from a well-respected firm. It is positively value taking a while and studying some AI abilities. In all seriousness, I’ll take among the lessons and I like to recommend you do, too.
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