The Mark Cuban Foundation is expanding its AI education program to adult learners at Dallas College, launching the first of six pilot programs planned nationwide. The initiative targets students without technical backgrounds, reflecting a broader push to make AI skills accessible as 66% of Texas businesses already incorporate the technology, according to a 2026 Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas survey.
The one-week program enrolled about 22 students and covered website and video creation, automation, career tools, and AI ethics. Participants learned to use AI as a team of virtual advisers, assigning each one a distinct role to assist with real-world decisions.
"AI is for everyone. It's not just for tech bros. It's not just for computer science learners. It's for everyone," said Wren Hoffman of the Mark Cuban Foundation.
Overcoming fear through hands-on learning
Jenine Smith, a 46-year-old accounting and finance student at Dallas College, entered the program skeptical of AI. "I was definitely not an advocate for AI. I was very fearful of it," Smith said. The experience shifted her perspective as she discovered practical applications she had not anticipated. "I didn't know AI could do so many things," she said.
Smith now sees the technology as a tool to understand rather than avoid. "It's better to kind of know how it works and understand it than get lost in the process itself," she said. She acknowledged that AI adoption in accounting and finance is still limited but growing: "It's not utilized as much, but it's we're definitely going that way."
Designing for non-technical audiences
The program deliberately serves people who might otherwise be left out of AI training. "Comfort with AI is no longer an option because AI is here," Hoffman said. The curriculum assumes no prior technical knowledge, an approach that aligns with broader efforts in AI for Education to reach working professionals across industries.
Dallas College represents the first site in a planned expansion. The Mark Cuban Foundation intends to replicate the model at five additional locations across the country, though specific sites and timelines have not been announced.
Why this matters for educators
Adult learners are returning to classrooms with immediate workplace needs, not just academic curiosity. Programs like this one demonstrate that effective AI training for non-technical audiences requires hands-on exercises tied to real tasks - assigning virtual adviser roles, automating workflows, creating content - rather than abstract explanations. For instructors and administrators designing similar offerings, the Dallas College pilot shows that addressing fear directly and letting students discover practical uses can shift attitudes among even the most skeptical participants. Resources such as the AI for Teachers learning path can help educators build the same practical fluency they aim to develop in their students.
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