Award-winning animation studio Hero4Hire Creative is helping educate the next internet-native generation on crucial skills for navigating the chronically online world, having recently produced a series of comedic digital shorts for Microsoft and public media outfit GBH. Spinning off the popular Ruff Ruffman franchise, the animated shorts are designed to teach kids about the impact of AI and media literacy skills.
The World Economic Forum predicts that when today’s kindergarteners graduate high school in 2036, 65% of them will work in jobs that do not currently exist due to emerging technology such as AI. With state governments also legislating to have media literacy as part of their K-12 curriculum, now more than ever there is a need for resources to help educate kids develop these skills.
Microsoft partnered with award-winning public media station GBH to create five new short-form videos at the intersection of technology, education and entertainment. Produced by GBH and animated by Boston-based studio Hero4Hire, Ruff Ruffman: Humble Media Genius tackles media-related topics about technology like AI in a fun and accessible way. Available on the PBS KIDS Video App, PBS KIDS Video Player and PBS KIDS YouTube channel, these shorts serve as valuable resources for children navigating our ever-changing digital landscape.
“Microsoft is committed to helping every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. We know that AI technology is the future, and so are our kids,” says Ginny Badanes, General Manager, Democracy Forward, Microsoft. “Ensuring young people and parents have easy access to tools that explain AI basics is key to providing AI literacy, setting them up for success as the technology evolves.”
About the shorts:
- “Ruff Amuck”: Ruff and Lupine explore the creative possibilities of artificial intelligence while creating art on their computer.
- “Robot Helper”: Ruff and Lupine encounter the challenges of interacting with a robot powered by artificial intelligence, raising questions about realism and technology.
- “Algorithms”: Through the lens of a classic rock video, Ruff and Lupine demystify algorithms and their impact on our digital experiences.
- “Poetry”: Using artificial intelligence, Ruff and Lupine collaborate to compose a poem celebrating the importance of media literacy in the 21st century.
- “Meet Halley”: Can an AI-powered voice assistant cater to the diverse preferences of Ruff and Lupine? This episode explores the capabilities of voice technology in planning activities.
