Podcast Summary: Embracing Digital Transformation – The Future of AI Education: Transforming Lives and Careers

Host: Dr. Darren Pulsipher
Guests: Antonio Delgado & Pedro Santos, Miami Dade College
Date: December 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores how Miami Dade College (MDC) is pioneering accessible, workforce-driven education in artificial intelligence. Dr. Darren Pulsipher speaks with Antonio Delgado and Pedro Santos—both technologists and immigrants—who share their stories of shaping one of the first undergraduate Applied AI degrees in the nation. The discussion centers on democratizing AI skills for everyone—not just future engineers, but professionals across industries—emphasizing upskilling, practical application, and community building through partnerships and innovative program design.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origin Stories: Passion for Technology and Community Impact

• Antonio Delgado describes his journey from Cuba, merging technology and education to create opportunity for others.
  • “When you bring [experience in] technology through education and create pathways to prosperity by just preparing people with the right skills, that’s really super powerful.” [03:20]
• Pedro Santos echoes a similar background, also Cuban-born, blending IT expertise and academic leadership to connect people with opportunity.
  • "Our superpower is empower people to achieve what they want to do through the connections that we are doing, creating day in and day out." [04:46]

2. The ChatGPT Effect: A Turning Point for AI Education

• The launch of ChatGPT is framed as a cultural moment, but MDC was already preparing an undergraduate degree in Applied AI, focused on accessibility rather than elite academic prerequisites.
• The first open house drew over 120 people—quadruple the expectation—a reflection of urgent, widespread demand. [07:43]
  • "We launched the right program at the right time and...that’s why people came in hundreds.” (Antonio) [11:30]
• Explosive growth: from 750 students in the first year to projected over 2800 in the third, spanning all industries and backgrounds [12:50].

3. Accessible, Stackable AI Education for All

• The program removes typical barriers (no advanced math required), enabling anyone—from working professionals to business owners—to upskill rapidly.
• Credentials are “stackable”: from short certificates to two-year associate and full bachelor’s degrees. Students can “come in, come out” as needed.
  • "This is what we call a full stackable credential...not just a typical college student. Anyone that is working, you might not be looking for a degree, you might just be looking for skills." (Antonio) [20:01]
• Unlike traditional computer science or engineering programs, the focus is on practical use and application, catalyzing rapid upskilling and new entrepreneurship rather than research-only skills.

4. Empowering Mid-Career Professionals & Diverse Students

• The typical student is 38 years old, with a significant female presence (50%—unusual in tech programs).
• Students come from all sectors: healthcare, real estate, hospitality, finance, etc.
• The project-based dynamic leads to the creation of startups and AI-driven business ideas among participants.
  • "The level of entrepreneurship that is coming out of the program is incredible." (Antonio) [17:38]

5. Expanding Impact: National Applied AI Consortium

• MDC is helping other community colleges replicate their model, scaling AI fluency across the U.S., not just creating local change.
  • "We are encouraging and we're helping other community colleges to do what we have done because we believe that the future is about people that know AI.” (Antonio) [22:57]
• The National Applied AI Consortium provides free resources, mentorship, and training nationally, emphasizing inclusivity and broad access.

6. Industry Partnerships and Practical Solutions

• Partnerships with Intel were instrumental: Intel’s AI for Workforce program provided curriculum and resources, solving the challenge of developing up-to-date, application-driven learning materials.
• The program emphasizes ongoing evolution, with continued industry input ensuring courses remain current.
  • "We're not claiming that we are the experts...what we are doing is partnering with the companies like Intel that really made it easy for us to go to follow this pathway." (Antonio) [25:43]

7. Breaking Down Barriers: Hardware as a Non-Issue

• Overcoming the misconception that expensive hardware is a necessity: MDC leverages community partnerships and cloud services, ensuring that lack of hardware is never a blocker for students.
  • "Applied AI...you don't need [a supercomputer]...for community colleges, you don't need to have that supercomputing power." (Antonio) [31:49]

8. Vision for the Future

• Growth continues, with flexible entry and exit points.
• Focus on AI fluency rather than just literacy.
• No sense of rivalry—MDC wants other institutions to join in the democratization of AI.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Antonio Delgado, on the urgency of AI literacy:
  “You're not going to lose your job to AI. You're going to lose your job to someone that knows AI.” [00:00, 13:30]

• Pedro Santos, on student demographics:
  “Out of those 2,500 students...the average age [is] 38 years old, which is not typical for us.” [14:38]

• Antonio Delgado, on the inclusivity of the program:
  “This is an everyone's degree. This is across the board. From healthcare to real estate, hospitality, finance...the magic is, when [students] connect, suddenly hey, we have a startup here.” [17:38]

• Dr. Darren Pulsipher, on four-year colleges’ reaction:
  “Because I work at a four year college, they're actually very scared of what you guys are doing...You guys are making it easy to use and creating whole new industries in communities.” [24:40]

• Pedro Santos, on resources for colleges:
  "We have created AI centers...that became the hub for AI in our communities in Miami.” [14:38]

• Antonio Delgado, on support for replication:
  “For institutions that want to follow this pathway...go through the National Applied AI Consortium...everything available for free for community colleges and universities at large.” [33:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:20 | Antonio’s background and mission | | 04:46 | Pedro’s story: immigrant roots and community empowerment | | 07:43 | ChatGPT launch, first open house: explosive demand for AI learning | | 11:30 | Why the program’s accessible model met such huge demand | | 12:50 | Program growth statistics | | 14:38 | Demographic shift: older, more diverse students | | 17:38 | Cross-industry participation and unexpected entrepreneurship | | 20:01 | Explaining the stackable credential structure | | 22:57 | Scaling impact: collaborating with other colleges | | 25:43 | Partnership with Intel for curriculum and resources | | 29:01 | Overcoming hardware barriers with partnerships and cloud computing | | 31:49 | Clarifying hardware needs: ‘applied’ AI doesn’t require supercomputers| | 33:00 | Resources and contact via National Applied AI Consortium |

Further Information

• National Applied AI Consortium: Free resources, curriculum, and mentorship for colleges/universities to launch or improve AI programs.
• MDC’s AI Centers and AI Clinics: Workshops and opportunities for community members, not just degree-seekers, to gain AI skills.
• Contact/Materials: All materials and guides are available at the National Applied AI Consortium website.

This episode offers an inspiring, concrete blueprint for how educational institutions—especially community colleges—can drive inclusive, transformative digital change by prioritizing practical, accessible, and community-centered AI education.