Skilling, Upskilling, and Reskilling in the Age of AI

The College of Lifetime Learning’s 2026 spring symposium, “Skilling, Upskilling, and Reskilling in the Age of AI,” focused on a shared challenge: aligning learning, work design, and people as AI adoption accelerates.

Speakers framed AI as infrastructure reshaping how work is organized. Industry leaders described the transition from pilots to operational use, in which AI agents support end-to-end workflows and human roles emphasize judgment, oversight, and ethical decision-making. Across sessions, the focus remained on aligning skilling efforts directly with evolving roles, processes, and expectations.

The symposium also examined AI’s role on and beyond the Georgia Tech campus. Conversations about outreach, workforce development, and K–12 education highlighted a growing demand for coordination, practical guidance, and access to expertise. In that context, Tech’s role should be to prepare learners to analyze, apply, and question AI across learning and work environments.

That approach was evident in presentations by the inaugural Bill Kent Family Foundation AI and Higher Education Fellows. Faculty from science, engineering, computing, and design shared course-level work that demonstrated how AI can support personalized feedback, reveal learning gaps, enable complex analysis and design, and surface both limitations and capabilities, all aligned with instructional goals.

Thank you to the speakers, panelists, fellows, and attendees for contributing to a focused examination of how institutions can lead learning in the age of AI.

Keynote Speaker

Magdy Karam

Magdy Karam
Chief Learning Officer, Microsoft Americas

Passionate about growth and development, Magdy is recognized by peers for inspiring, motivating, and empowering employees to realize their full potential. A versatile and influential leader, Magdy sees his role not only as serving Microsoft staff but also as enabling the entire Tech ecosystem, represented by Microsoft’s Customers and Partners, to attract, upskill, and retain their IT staff during this highly volatile digital transformation journey. Magdy’s goal is to build a culture of curiosity and continuous learning within and beyond Microsoft and to encourage employees to advance their careers. He’s currently focused on partnering with key organizations to bring AI and technology skilling to underserved communities in the US and Canada.

PROGRAM

Thursday, April 23, 2026

(Subject to Change)

8:30 - 9 a.m. | Registration and Breakfast
 
8:50 a.m. - 9 a.m. | Welcome Remarks

Dean William Gaudelli, College of Lifetime Learning

9 - 9:45 a.m. | Keynote - Becoming Frontier

Learn how Microsoft is leveraging AI to transform workforce readiness and the role of leadership in championing this transformation.
Magdy Karam, Chief Learning Officer, Microsoft Americas

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. | Panel - Skilling, Upskilling, Reskilling, in the Age of AI

Moderator: Dean William Gaudelli, College of Lifetime Learning, Georgia Tech
Panelists:

  • Erin Izen, Executive Director, The Home Depot Foundation 
  • Magdy Karam, Chief Learning Officer, Microsoft Americas
10:30 - 10: 50 a.m. | Presentation - A4L: A Data Architecture for AI-Augmented Learning

The session will discuss how an AI‑ALOE‑developed data architecture enables researchers and educators to analyze learner interactions with AI systems and link them to learning outcomes.

10:50 - 11 a.m. | Break (Refreshments available to attendees.)
 
11 a.m. - 11:45 p.m. | Panel - State of AI @ Georgia Tech

This panel will explore the Institute's current and emerging state of AI across learning, infrastructure, and outreach. 

Moderator: Professor Stephen Harmon, College of Lifetime Learning

Panelists:

11:45 - 11:50 a.m. | 2025 Bill Kent Family Foundation (BFFK) AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellows Introduction

Eric Sembrat, College of Lifetime Learning, Georgia Tech

11:50 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Lightning Talks - Georgia Tech 2025 BKFF AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellows
  • Integrating AI into Scientific Writing and Physics Education, Professor Flavio Fenton, College of Sciences
  • AI-Enabled Design Ideation and Robotic Fabrication, Patrick Danahy, College of Design
  • Advancing Personalized Engineering Education, Professor Ying Zhang, College of Engineering
  • TokenSmith: A Citable, Local‑First AI Tutor for Databases, Joy Arulraj, College of Computing
12:30 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. | 2025 BFKK AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellows Award Presentation

Lesley A. Baradel, BKFF representative

12:45 p.m. | Closing Remarks

Professor Stephen Harmon, College of Lifetime Learning, Georgia Tech