The first-ever AI Literacy Pipeline to Prosperity Project (AILP³) summer camp successfully wrapped last week, marking a major milestone in a new effort to bridge the digital and economic divide for underserved youth and laying the foundation for future national expansion.

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AILP³ is a pioneering initiative co-led by Operation HOPE and its AI Ethics Council (a HOPE Initiative), and Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. It aims to inspire K–12 students from underserved communities by providing pathways to college and opportunities in an artificial intelligence workforce.

The week-long summer camp, held from July 7–11 at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, was the first in-person activation of AILP³. Nearly 40 rising 9th–11th graders took part in immersive, hands-on activities that included AI literacy bootcamps, design-thinking sprints, mentorship from local tech leaders, and opportunities to develop AI-driven prototypes. To align with Operation HOPE’s mission of promoting economic empowerment through financial literacy, the camp concluded with a themed hackathon where students applied their new skills to create AI-powered solutions for financial challenges faced by people at all stages of life.

Students joined from Atlanta Public Schools and other metro-Atlanta school districts and from youth organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, Junior Achievement of Georgia, and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta.

“During that week on Georgia State’s campus, I didn’t just learn how to build a bot. I built confidence. I didn’t just attend a career panel. I saw myself in the people speaking. And I didn’t just submit a group project. I discovered my purpose,” said 16-year-old Zion Moore, a participant in the camp.

Dr. Jen Bailey, Robinson’s associate dean for undergraduate programs, led the curriculum design and program delivery for the AILP³ camp. A multidisciplinary team of Georgia State faculty, with expertise in innovation, finance, technology, education, and entrepreneurship, also taught the students, as well as industry experts from Atlanta’s AI ecosystem.

“It was exciting to collaborate with our GSU faculty and industry partners to shape every element of this experience, from program curriculum to student engagement, and to create such a transformative opportunity for these high school students to develop and deepen their AI literacy skills,” Bailey said. “Their curiosity, creativity, and drive made this inaugural cohort a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we invest early in the next generation of innovators.”

Noting the broader mission of AILP³, Brian Betts, President and CFO of Operation HOPE, said, “With AILP³ and our inaugural summer camp, we’re planting the seeds of innovation and economic mobility where they’re needed most. Georgia State has been an exceptional lead partner in designing and executing the pilot, and we’re equally grateful to the original coalition of thought leaders, from the AI Ethics Council to Atlanta’s HBCUs, who helped shape this vision from the beginning.”

About AILP³

• End-to-end talent development: AILP³ is building a pipeline for K–12 students to explore, engage with, and ultimately enter AI-related fields through early exposure, mentorship, hands-on learning, and financial literacy.
• Curriculum: The AILP³ program is grounded in the Robinson College of Business’ Innovation for All curricular framework, designed to equip students from all backgrounds with the skills and competencies needed to lead and innovate in both business and society.
• Scalable model: The Atlanta pilot provides a replicable framework for expansion to other communities across Georgia and beyond.
• Community impact: AILP³ was first introduced in December 2024 by a cross-sector coalition of public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders, including Operation HOPE, the AI Ethics Council (co-founded by Operation HOPE and OpenAI) and Georgia State University as lead partners, with initial collaborators lending their support including the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Public Schools, the Atlanta Board of Education, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and other HBCUs that anchor the region’s innovation ecosystem.
• AILP³ is supported by Operation HOPE’s award-winning HOPE Inside platform, which has generated more than $4.2 billion in economic activity for underserved communities. Georgia State University contributes its nationally recognized student success model — one that ensures high-ability talent from all backgrounds can achieve academic and career success at scale.

ABOUT OPERATION HOPE, INC.

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has empowered more than 4 million individuals with financial literacy, credit and money management coaching, home ownership, and small business support—advancing “silver rights” to help low- and moderate-income Americans achieve economic dignity. Through its award-winning HOPE Inside model, the organization has helped generate over $4.2 billion in economic activity. We operate in nearly 300 cities serving 1,500 locations throughout the United States. Learn more at OperationHOPE.org.

ABOUT GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY’S J. MACK ROBINSON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Founded in 1913 and boasting close to 85,000 alumni, Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the largest business schools in the U.S. The college offers 11 undergraduate majors, 12 specialized master’s programs, two MBA programs, and Ph.D. and practitioner doctorate (DBA) programs. A four-time recipient of AACSB’s Innovations That Inspire award, Robinson’s unique interdisciplinary culture and groundbreaking co-curricular and immersive experiences equip students with the critical skills employers seek in new hires. Consistent with Georgia State’s award-winning student success model, Robinson works to ensure that students from all backgrounds can succeed, whether pioneering new businesses or leading established organizations. More Georgia executives hold advanced degrees from the Robinson College of Business and Georgia State University than from any other school in the U.S. Learn more at robinson.gsu.edu.

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