‘AI fluency key to employability’

MMDC unveils AI fluency framework for students

MANILA, Philippines — As more companies continue to see the value of artificial intelligence or AI, Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC), the premier digital college in the Philippines in information technology (IT) and business, encourages students and working professionals to focus on the development of their AI fluency to improve their future employability.

According to Derrick Latreille, chief learning officer at MMDC, AI literacy involves being able to effectively prompt requirements or express needs clearly and discern the output. AI fluency extends it further.

“Literacy refers to knowing the breadth and depth of a space or subject. Fluency asks: can you work with it? There is a big difference between knowing AI and going through the entire process of using AI to organize and make sense of an organization’s data sets, for instance,” said Latreille. “AI fluency is the capacity to collaborate productively and responsibly with AI systems. Instead of simply knowing and using AI to generate answers, AI-fluent individuals work with AI to enhance their work and decision-making, while still taking full accountability when applying to real-world situations.”

As part of the Mapua Education Group and in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU) – ranked No. 1 for innovation in the US for 11 consecutive years according to US News and World Report from 2016 to 2026 – MMDC is at the forefront of launching the Philippines’ very first comprehensive institutional AI fluency strategy.

“Right from day one, MMDC has enabled AI integration in various aspects of our curriculum,” said Latreille. “This gives our students the opportunity to practice and experiment with AI as part of their daily workflow.”

MMDC takes its push for AI fluency further by bolstering its core IT and business course offerings with AI-focused specializations that immediately respond to the challenges of a changing work landscape.

“As an educational institution that advocates for Filipino working students, MMDC believes that we have a responsibility to prepare our students for the ‘real world.’ Strengthening their AI fluency will enable them to secure better career opportunities that will eventually help them achieve financial stability,” said Jenny Chua, vice president of MMDC. “For us, gearing up our students for AI fluency simply means setting them up for long-term career and financial success.”

MMDC is part of Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna, which is dedicated to nurturing nation-building students who will thrive in a business and technology-driven world. Mapúa University and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna are wholly owned subsidiaries of iPeople, a partnership between the Yuchengco and Ayala conglomerates.