Read about a student’s AI mission for a cleaner planet

Recently, Apeejay School, Noida, hosted the CBSE–Intel AI Bootcamp — an intensive two-week journey into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Designed to empower young minds with cutting-edge knowledge and hands-on experience, the bootcamp focused on real-world applications and ethical innovation. In this interview, Mishti Agarwal of Class X-A reflects on her experience and key takeaways.

What were some core areas of Artificial Intelligence covered during the bootcamp?

The bootcamp gave us a thorough understanding of three fundamental domains of Artificial Intelligence: Data Science, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Computer Vision. Each area was explored in depth, offering both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience.

Why do you think ethical AI development is important? How was this emphasised during the bootcamp?

Ethical AI development is crucial because AI can bring about transformative good but also carries the risk of unintended harm. Responsible development ensures that we maximise its benefits while minimising its negative impacts. During the bootcamp, the facilitators consistently reinforced the importance of ethical AI, which helped me understand its significance more deeply and incorporate those values into my approach.

Which programming tools and libraries did you work with, and how did they assist you in building AI models?

We primarily used Jupyter and Google Colab for our programming work. These platforms provided a smooth interface for coding and experimentation. Libraries like Pandas and NumPy were essential; they simplified data manipulation and computations, making the model development process much more efficient.

How did your AI project align with any of the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

My project focused on AI-powered plastic detection, which directly supports SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 14: Life Below Water. The aim was to identify and remove plastic waste from water bodies, contributing to environmental conservation and sustainability.

Can you tell us more about your project and what motivated you to pursue it?

My project was centred around AI-driven plastic detection. The inspiration came from a recent trip during which I noticed large amounts of plastic floating in a river and piled up on the riverbank. It struck me that if we could detect plastic efficiently, cleanup efforts could be much more effective. Fortunately, I didn’t encounter major challenges during development, largely because our mentors explained every concept very clearly, making the learning curve manageable.

Was there a particular project presented at the bootcamp that inspired you?

Yes, one project stood out to me — it aimed to prevent drivers from falling asleep at the wheel. It used posture sensing and blink detection to monitor driver alertness and predict fatigue. I found it inspiring because of its real-world application in reducing road accidents and potentially saving lives.