This week brought a landmark moment in the Computer Science department at Loughborough High School, as our Year 8 pupils embarked on their very first lesson in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. From the outset, their enthusiasm lit up the room.
We began with a challenge: could they guess when key AI breakthroughs happened? There was an immediate buzz as the girls debated when early milestones like the ELIZA chatbot, IBM’s Deep Blue beating chess champion Garry Kasparov, and the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner came onto the scene. It was more than just a history lesson; it helped them grasp how far Artificial Intelligence has come and how deeply it’s woven into our everyday lives.
Their curiosity only grew as we moved into the present, exploring today’s AI applications, from virtual assistants to self-driving cars, and the complex technologies behind them, such as neural networks and machine learning. What stood out most, however, was their interest in the ethical questions AI raises: What should machines be allowed to do? Can they ever be truly fair? Who is responsible when AI makes mistakes?
The level of maturity and reflection in their responses was deeply impressive; a real sign of how seriously our pupils are engaging with the digital world around them.
To bring the theory to life, we turned to Google’s brilliant Teachable Machine platform. Excitement filled the classroom as the girls trained their own image recognition models to recognise hand gestures for rock, paper, scissors. Watching their models “learn” in real time made AI tangible; something they could create, test and interact with directly. The energy in the room was electric.
One student, Mia, said: “I never knew AI worked this way – it’s actually fascinating!” Ellie added: “Learning AI is such a brilliant opportunity. It’s becoming a huge part of our world, and it really sparks creativity and intelligence. I absolutely loved it!” Abbie summed up the mood perfectly: “Artificial Intelligence is part of our changing world and it’s so interesting to understand how it works. This made it all make sense.”
Why teaching girls AI matters
In a field still largely dominated by men, it’s more important than ever to inspire and equip girls to become future leaders in AI. According to a report published by global recruitment company Ranstad, globally, only 29% of AI professionals are women, and fewer still hold senior roles or contribute to major research outputs. The world needs more diverse voices shaping the future of technology to avoid bias, bring fresh ideas, and ensure fairness and representation in systems that affect us all.
This is exactly why moments like this matter: by sparking curiosity and confidence now, we’re helping the next generation of women see themselves as innovators, decision-makers and changemakers in tech.
This first AI lesson is just the beginning of an exciting journey for our Year 8s. They’ve shown not just passion, but a genuine hunger to explore, question and understand the technologies shaping our world. The future of Artificial Intelligence is unfolding fast – and our pupils at Loughborough High School are ready to lead it.
