Ah that's how it works! – AI Competencies for the Next Generation, FHNW School of Computer Science

Large language models (LLMs) and services such as ChatGPT are transforming schools, education, and the world of work at an unprecedented pace. While these technologies offer signifi-cant opportunities, they also create uncertainty. Young people ask: What can AI truly do? Where are its limitations? And how can it be used effectively and responsibly?

The project “Ach so geht dies!” (ASGD) addresses these questions directly. In collaboration with the Youth Intelligence Agency (YIA), the School of Engineering and the School of Education at FHNW have developed a practical method and accompanying tool to prepare children and young people for the competent use of AI.

At its core is the empowerment of the so-called AI generation. Through interactive workshops, participants learn how generative AI works, how to critically assess its outputs, and how to use it responsibly and productively for learning, creative work, or solving complex problems.

The ASGD method provides a concrete foundation for sustainable AI competence. It strengthens key skills such as critical thinking, reflection, and selfefficacy. These competencies that are essential in a future increasingly shaped by AI.

In doing so, ASGD makes an important contribution to educating a generation that not only uses AI, but better understands AI, questions it, and actively shapes how it is applied.