Community of Practice AI (CoP-KI)

As part of the “CoP-KI” project, a cross-regional community of practice (called CoP-AI) is being established to promote the exchange and development of innovative learning formats in both urban and rural areas. The goal is to create a vibrant community dedicated to the professional application of artificial intelligence (AI). By bringing together people from different industries, experience levels, and regions of Austria and Germany, informal, participatory learning experiences are made possible and interdisciplinary and supraregional knowledge exchange is strengthened in the long term.

A central element of the project is the development and provision of a digital platform that serves as the infrastructure for the project. This platform supports the community in providing relevant content, learning materials, and up-to-date information. The second cornerstone of the project is the regular in-person and digital meetups of community members. At these meetups, volunteer facilitators present key topics, which are then discussed interactively within the group. The open community meetups are designed as a space for experimentation, questions, experience sharing, and exchange, enabling participants to learn from and with each other—regardless of whether they are novices or experts in the field of AI application in everyday working life. The aim is to continuously adapt the offerings to the needs of the participants and actively integrate them into the design of the community so that the format can be continued even after the project has ended.

The target group for the project is deliberately broad and reflects the diversity of interests and requirements in the context of the professional use of artificial intelligence. Further focus on specific industries or fields of application will be based on an initial needs assessment and the momentum within the community.

ITA is leading the design and evaluation of this needs assessment as well as a brief evaluation (activity survey) towards the end of the project period. Furthermore, ITA is assisting in the creation of learning materials, for example in the form of impulse videos, as well as in the moderation and design of community meetups.

The project thus contributes to:

• bringing different people together
• promoting critical discourse and ethical reflection in the use of AI
• responsibly umlocking the potential of artificial intelligence for everyday professional life and supporting its practical application
• enabling continuous knowledge exchange and informal learning space across local and subject-specific boundaries
• and overall establishing a sustainable culture of innovation in various professional contexts.