BROKEN ARROW, OK / ACCESS Newswire / March 14, 2025 / High school students deeply engage in an AI-driven exercise in a Pearls Africa classroom in Yaba, Nigeria. They craft carefully structured prompts to generate unique images inspired by Wole Soyinka’s Forest of a Thousand Demons. The energy in the room is palpable as students experiment with language to manipulate AI outputs, discovering the creative potential of artificial intelligence firsthand.
For Abisoye Ajayi, a globally recognized STEM education innovator and leading advocate for expanding AI access, this moment signifies more than just a classroom activity. It is part of a more significant movement she has spearheaded over the past decade-one that has trained over 10,000 students across multiple African countries, addressed systemic digital exclusion, and influenced AI adoption in education at both national and international levels.
This transformation is gaining momentum with Prompt Magic, a groundbreaking book and AI learning platform created by Abisoye Ajayi, a CNN Hero and BBC 100 Women honoree recognized for her exceptional contributions to STEM education and digital empowerment. After years of leading STEM, AI, and coding literacy initiatives across Africa, she is now bringing her mission to the United States, focusing on the Midwest, where AI education remains significantly behind national trends.
A Global Leader in AI Education and Digital Inclusion
Ajayi’s AI and STEM education expertise has been recognized at the highest global leadership levels. As the founder of Pearls Africa Youth Foundation, her pioneering programs have received endorsements from major international institutions, including ONE, BBC, CNN, and leading multinational tech companies.
Her work has led her to collaborate with top educators, policymakers, and researchers in shaping AI curricula that are now being tested in school districts across Nigeria. Her first book on the same topic, released three years ago, offered guidance to parents and educators on introducing AI to young learners. Now, with advancements in AI capabilities, she is equipping young people with the necessary tools to engage with AI actively, nurturing creativity and productivity. Her research on AI literacy and digital access has been cited in global discussions on inclusive AI education, and her insights have been featured at prestigious international forums, including the World Economic Forum and Harvard Kennedy School’s Social Innovation + Change Initiative.
Addressing AI Education Gaps in the United States
Artificial intelligence rapidly transforms industries, redefines workforce skills, and shifts how businesses operate. Yet, in the United States, many communities remain critically disconnected from this technological revolution. While innovation clusters like San Francisco and New York have integrated AI into school curricula, much of the Midwest struggles with access, funding, and educator training-a challenge Ajayi-Akinfolarin is passionate about solving. Ajayi moved from Massachusetts to Oklahoma specifically for this mission.
Drawing from her experience bridging the gender gap in tech education across Africa, she recognized the same structural barriers preventing students in the U.S. from engaging with AI tools. Her response? A platform that democratizes access to AI education, breaking down complexity and making AI literacy mainstream.
Innovating AI Learning Through Competition-Based Education
One of the biggest challenges in adopting AI in education is the perception that it is too costly or too complex. Many educators remain hesitant due to a lack of technical training. To address this, Ajayi published Prompt Magic, a simple guide to introducing young people to artificial intelligence using prompting engineering as a low-entry barrier. This book makes AI education accessible to all students without requiring teachers to have prior AI expertise.
The accompanying online platform to the book, learnPromptMagic.com, allows students to participate in structured AI competitions. Students sharpen their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in these competitions by crafting and refining AI prompts. The platform, which is open source and free, is already being piloted in multiple school districts in Nigeria, and a Midwestern economic development organization is in talks to expand its reach in the US.
A Vision for the Future of AI in Education
Beyond expanding Prompt Magic, Ajayi continues to drive global policy discussions and strategic collaborations on AI inclusion. She envisions a future where AI literacy is a fundamental right, not a privilege. By making AI education engaging, interactive, and widely accessible, her work prepares students to use AI-it equips them to shape, innovate, and lead the future of AI itself.
Final Thoughts
As AI continues to reshape the workforce and global economy, it is critical to ensure that students from all backgrounds are not left behind. With Prompt Magic, Ajayi is leading that charge, providing the next generation with the essential tools to become AI-literate and AI-empowered.
Her groundbreaking contributions, global recognition, and direct impact on policy and education systems place her at the forefront of AI and technology internationally, championing broader accessibility and participation in the field.
With the launch of Prompt Magic, she cements her legacy as a trailblazer in STEM and AI education, bridging global divides and shaping the future of digital learning.
Prompt Magic
learnpromptmagic.com
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SOURCE: Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin
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