Operation HOPE and Georgia State pilot AI literacy program for underserved students

The program marks the first implementation of the AI Literacy Pipeline to Prosperity Project, targeting high school students in the Atlanta area with foundational training in artificial intelligence and financial literacy.

Operation HOPE and the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University have announced the pilot launch of their AI Literacy Pipeline to Prosperity Project (AILP³), a summer program designed to introduce high school students to artificial intelligence and related skills.

The program, announced in December 2024, is a multi-year collaboration aiming to provide underserved students with technical and economic education aligned with workforce demands. The first camp is scheduled to take place July 7–11, 2025, on Georgia State’s downtown campus and will include rising ninth to eleventh graders from Atlanta Public Schools and nearby districts.

AI instruction, financial literacy, and industry mentoring

The week-long camp includes a mix of activities, from hands-on coding and design-thinking exercises to career panels and mentoring sessions. Participants will also receive financial literacy coaching provided by Operation HOPE.

Corporate involvement through Operation HOPE’s AI Ethics Council will offer exposure to potential career pathways and internships. Organizers say the initiative is designed to support long-term workforce development as industries continue integrating AI into operations.

Richard D. Phillips, dean at the Robinson College of Business and a member of the AI Ethics Council, says the partnership is intended to expand access: “Artificial intelligence is transforming every industry, but access to AI education is not yet equal, and we look forward to working with Operation HOPE to helping close that gap.”

Organizers describe the camp as the first step in a broader rollout across Georgia and the United States. The program’s components include K–12 immersion opportunities, scholarships, family support for workers displaced by automation, and apprenticeship models.

John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer at Operation HOPE, says the program continues the organization's work in financial empowerment.: For more than 30 years, Operation HOPE has delivered financial dignity to millions. AILP³ extends that mission into the AI era—ensuring young people can not only use these technologies, but profit from them.”