Jennifer Huang @ AI4Good Lab

Hi WiCS members! 💜

This summer, I had the chance to take part in AI4Good Lab 2026 (which was also its 10th anniversary!!). It’s a 7-week program where you get to learn the fundamentals of AI/ML and then build a project with a team at the end. I was part of the virtual cohort, but there are also in-person cohorts at CIFAR in Toronto, Mila in Montréal, and Amii in Edmonton.

The first 5 weeks are all about getting comfortable with the fundamentals of AI/ML. Even if you don’t have much prior experience, you’ll get introduced to a wide range of topics throughout the program. You’ll go through lectures, followed by hands-on labs where you get to try out what you learned in Google Colab. You’ll also have labs with your TA, where you can ask pretty much anything, just like an actual office hour or lab at SFU! Then, every Friday during the month of May, you get together with your TA cohort and make a mini project based on whatever you learned that week.

After spending the first few weeks learning the fundamentals, you get to put everything together in a 3-week project sprint. You’ll work with people from different backgrounds and build a project together. One thing I really liked was that your role in the project doesn’t have to be purely ML-focused. You can treat it like any other software project and work on the backend, frontend, UI/UX, or whatever else you desire individually! So even if you’re interested in AI/ML but also really like software engineering, design, or product, there’s still lots of room for you to contribute. :)

My time in Montréal :)

Once you finish developing your project, all of the cohorts get a chance to go to Montréal for Demo Day. I arrived on Sunday night, so I had some time to catch up with friends before everything started.

The next morning, we had a full day of activities at Mila and Google DeepMind. We started with a tech rehearsal and social event at Mila, then headed over to Google DeepMind for research talks, a panel about careers in AI/research, and networking.

And then it was finally Demo Day! Throughout the day, we got to present our projects, walk around the science fair-style expo and pitch our projects to the judges, and, of course, end everything with a fun celebratory party.

Lastly, PLEASE remember to have fun! Don’t spend your entire time in Montréal working…Go explore the city, hang out with other cohorts, get food, and actually enjoy being there. :)

What can you do after the program?

1. Sign up for opportunities like RBC Borealis – Let’s Solve It, or you can continue developing your project independently
2. Take AI/ML courses at SFU such as CMPT 310 & CMPT 410
3. Use the experience as a starting point for looking into AI/ML or Data Science internships and co-ops

That being said, the program can feel super condensed and rushed at times, especially because you’re learning a lot in a short amount of time. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t feel like you have to take everything in at once!

If you have any questions about AI4Good Lab, the application process, the project, or just want to hear what my experience was like, please feel free to reach out! There are also lots of WiCS AI4Good Lab alumni who have gone through the program, so you can always reach out to them if you want to hear about their experiences. :)