Hands on AI: Brains v. Bots

K-12 STEAM education

South LA East LA

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Students across the U.S.—particularly those in Title I schools—lack access to education that prepares them for the ethical, creative, and responsible use of artificial intelligence. While AI is transforming the workforce, most K–12 students are left behind, with little guidance on how to use these tools or understand their risks. A 2023 IBM study revealed a dramatic shift: soft skills like collaboration are now more valued by employers than traditional STEM skills. Yet current AI education rarely addresses this. Hands on AI: Brains vs. Bots fills this gap by integrating AI literacy with social-emotional learning. This program will equip students and teachers with hands-on experience in AI, encouraging ethical awareness and critical thinking.

Hands on AI: Brains vs. Bots is a new Two Bit Circus Foundation initiative that combines technical skills and social-emotional learning to prepare students for a future shaped by artificial intelligence. This program will provide a curriculum for middle school students that demystifies AI and teaches its practical applications, ethical considerations, and real-world impacts. Through interactive activities—such as building simple AI tools, experimenting with image recognition or chatbots, and engaging in creative team challenges—students will gain foundational AI literacy while developing critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills.
To scale its impact, the program includes professional development (PD) for teachers, offered online or in person. These PD sessions will train educators to integrate AI tools into their instruction and foster student engagement with emerging technologies. The curriculum and materials will also be made available online, allowing schools nationwide to participate. This grant will fund curriculum development, piloting in LA Title I schools, educator PD, and outreach to expand program access and impact.

If Hands on AI: Brains vs. Bots is successful, Los Angeles County in 2050 will be home to a generation of students—especially from historically underserved communities—who are not just consumers of technology, but confident creators of it. Our program lays the foundation for AI literacy that centers human intelligence, empathy, and collaboration, preparing youth for careers that don’t yet exist and societal challenges we’ve yet to imagine.
By equipping both students and teachers with tools to understand and apply AI responsibly, we reimagine education as inclusive, future-ready, and deeply connected to real-world relevance. As the program scales through online curriculum and educator PD, it will reach thousands more classrooms across L.A., helping to close equity gaps in access to cutting-edge learning.