Preparing for the Summer of AI at the NextGen Studio Open House

The question on every parent's mind as the academic year winds down is a pressing one: High school ends in May, but are you ready for June? Building on the momentum of previous career-focused discussions, a dynamic Open House was held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha on Friday, February 13th. Gathering in Room 128 of the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, parents and students came together to strategize future career paths and discover how to turn emerging technology into a tangible opportunity.

The centerpiece of the evening was the deep dive into the AI+X NextGen Studio 2026, a groundbreaking summer initiative hosted by AI-CCORE. The core message delivered to families was transformative: artificial intelligence is no longer an isolated subject reserved solely for programmers. Instead, "AI + X" represents how this technology amplifies real-world impact across every conceivable discipline, whether that "X" stands for Business, Medicine, Creative Arts, or Research.

To bridge the gap between high school and future tech careers, Professors Subramaniam and Chundi from the college of IS&T  outlined an intensive 6-week summer academy running from June 1st through July 10th. Rather than focusing on abstract theory, the curriculum is designed around actionable creation. Students will gain essential AI knowledge by learning the exact industry tools used by professionals today, including Prompt Engineering, RAG, and Agentic AI workflows. Throughout the program, participants will build intelligent AI agents capable of answering questions, automating workflows, and simulating expert reasoning.

The evening provided much more than standard career advice from Dr. Subramaniam; it offered a concrete blueprint for success. By the end of the summer studio, students will work in collaborative teams to ideate, innovate, and pitch a real AI application, ultimately earning a certificate and badge to showcase in their college applications and tech portfolios. As families left the Open House, the uncertainty of the future was replaced by a clear, hands-on path forward -ensuring that these young innovators don't just witness the AI revolution, but actively build it.