Ambassadors of Technology in the Age of AI (ATAA) is an online professional learning community offering a George Mason digital badge and Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit. The program builds foundational AI literacy for people navigating an AI-transformed world. Grounded in the U.S. Department of Labor’s AI Literacy Framework, ATAA moves beyond tool-specific training to develop lasting AI competency that travels with participants across roles, platforms, and whatever comes next.
Upon completing 15 learning hours, participants earn a sharable GMU digital badge from the College of Engineering and Computing of George Mason University. Join a growing community of AI-literate practitioners and earn a credential you can carry on your resume and LinkedIn. You do not need to complete 15 hours to earn Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit.
Learn more about digital badge here.
Eligibility
ATAA is designed for people who want to build foundational AI literacy and understand how AI is changing the way we learn, work, and make decisions. Educators are the program’s initial cohort, bringing diverse perspectives on how AI can be understood and applied across professional and community contexts. This community welcomes:
- K–16 teachers and higher education faculty
- School administrators, instructional coaches, and academic staff
- Curriculum specialists and instructional designers
- Professionals and practitioners across sectors interested in building foundational AI literacy
- Lifelong learners seeking to understand and use AI thoughtfully and responsibly
What You Will Learn
ATAA’s curriculum is grounded in the U.S. Department of Labor’s AI Literacy Framework (2026), building five core competencies that travel with you across roles, tools, and whatever AI brings next: understanding AI principles, exploring AI uses, directing AI effectively, evaluating AI outputs, and using AI responsibly:
- Understand AI Principles — Learn how AI systems work well enough to explain them to students, colleagues, and communities in plain language, without a technical background
- Explore AI Uses — Discover how AI is being applied across sectors and identify opportunities relevant to your own professional context
- Direct AI Effectively — Build practical AI habits and workflows that save real time on tasks you do every week
- Evaluate AI Outputs — Recognize when AI outputs are unreliable, biased, or inappropriate — and know why, not just that, something has gone wrong
- Use AI Responsibly — Design learning experiences and workflows that use AI as a thinking tool, not a shortcut, grounded in ethics and professional judgment
Online Workshop Schedules
| Date | Time (EST) | Workshops and Registration Links |
|---|---|---|
| September 16, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Understanding AI Principles – Workshop I |
| September 30, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Understanding AI Principles – Workshop II |
| October 14, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Exploring AI Uses – Workshop I |
| October 28, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Exploring AI Uses – Workshop II |
| November 11, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Directing AI Effectively – Workshop I |
| November 18, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Directing AI Effectively – Workshop II |
| December 2, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Evaluating AI Outputs – Workshop I |
| December 16, 2026 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Evaluating AI Outputs – Workshop II |
| January 13, 2027 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Using AI Responsibly – Workshop I |
| January 27, 2027 (Wednesday) | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Using AI Responsibly – Workshop II |
| January 2027 | First cohort completes and digital badges are awarded. Second cohort begins. |
Frequent Asked Questions
1. How do I register and join the workshops?
You must register for each workshop using the links provided above in Workshop Schedules to receive your individual Zoom link. After registering, you’ll automatically receive an email confirmation with the joining link and the option to add it to your calendar.
We recommend you sign up for the ATAA program mailing list here to receive reminders before each workshop. If you don’t sign up for the ATAA mailing list, you may not get those reminders.
2. I am not interested in earning a digital badge. Is this program still for me?
Yes. You are welcome to join any workshop of your interest. Simply sign up for the ATAA program mailing list here to receive reminders about upcoming workshops.
3. What is the cost of this program?
The training is free and the digital badge fees are waived for the first and second cohorts.
4. Will this be too technical?
While instructors are computer science and data science faculty and researchers, with guest speakers bringing additional relevant expertise, this program is designed for non-technical audiences.
5. What is the format of engagement?
During the school year (September to May), ATAA workshops will be offered online. To earn CEU or the digital badge, completing a brief post-workshop assessment is required. During summer months (June to August), workshops can be offered in person.
First cohort starts in September 2026 and completes in January 2027. Second cohort is scheduled for January to May 2027. Interested learners should sign up to receive updated information about our training schedules.
6. What happens if I miss a workshop?
All online workshops will be recorded. You will have the opportunity to review the recordings later. To earn CEU or the digital badge, you must complete the post-workshop assessment.
7. What if the first cohort for the digital badge workshop time does not work for me?
If you are interested in earning a digital badge and our current scheduled workshop time won’t work for you, you are welcome to join our second cohort scheduled to start in January 2027 (date and time TBD). Reach out to our team with any questions or suggestions.
8. What is the ATAA launch event?
The launch event was held as part of the VA Data Science Teacher Professional Learning Institute on June 22 – 23, 2026 at the George Mason University Manassas Science and Tech Campus, Katherine G. Johnson Hall, 10890 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA 20110.
Educators are the program’s initial cohort, providing a starting point for a broader vision of AI literacy that can serve professionals and communities across sectors. The ATAA launch event featured an opening speech introducing the program and two workshops on AI Fundamentals for Teachers and Best Practices of AI in Teaching. All workshops offered at the June 22-23 Learning Institute, including ATAA and non-ATAA sessions, offered Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits to participants who attended them. Joining the launch event is not required to attend ATAA webinars and trainings.
Program Contacts: Peng Warweg [email protected]
Training/Workshop Contacts: Padhu Seshaiyer [email protected] Manpriya Dua [email protected]
