Generative AI and Capacity Development: Highlights from My Year in 2024

I was literally "running around" in 2024. In total, I appeared in more than 75 keynotes, master classes, invited speeches, panel discussions, training programs, workshops and webinars, of which almost 45 were on AI and Generative AI.

The ~45 sessions I conducted lasted for more than 65 hours with a participant count of more than 5,000 (averaging more than 100 participants per session)! That is a total of more than half a million person minutes trained!

Here are some interesting facts about my year 2024 and my effort to bring Generative AI to my community!

Here is the participant distribution over the sessions:

I had more sessions for academics alone (17), while fewer sessions (8) covered more students.

Of the 44 sessions conducted, 30 are in-person, and 14 are online. The in-person sessions saw 3,000+ participants, while the relatively smaller online sessions saw about 2,000 participants.

As 2024 comes to a close, I reflect on a year filled with impactful engagement, learning, and growth. The opportunity to connect with over 5,000 participants—students, academics, industry professionals, and more—has been immensely rewarding. Whether in person or online, these sessions have not only shared insights into AI and Generative AI but also fostered curiosity, innovation, and dialogue across diverse communities. This journey reinforces my belief in the transformative power of AI when paired with intentional capacity development. As we step into 2025, I look forward to expanding these efforts, embracing new challenges, and contributing further to the collective understanding and application of Generative AI. Together, we shape the future!