SM City Baguio Brings Kids and Seniors Together for a Hands-On AI Learning Session

 

DICT-CAR begins an interactive AI learning session with young participants at SM City Baguio.

BAGUIO, Philippines — Artificial Intelligence keeps showing up in more corners of daily life, and making sense of it isn't just a young person's problem anymore. With that in mind, SM Supermalls, through SM City Baguio, partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology – Cordillera Administrative Region (DICT-CAR) to run an AI learning session built specifically for two very different audiences at once: senior citizens and children.

Two Generations, One Classroom

The session put participants from opposite ends of the age spectrum in the same room, giving everyone a shared chance to figure out how AI actually works, what it's useful for, and how to use it responsibly day to day.

Through interactive discussions and live demonstrations, participants got a working introduction to AI basics — stripped of jargon and built to be genuinely approachable. The session also covered practical ground: how AI can support learning, creativity, and everyday information-gathering, alongside a clear emphasis on using the technology safely.

For Kids, a Head Start on Digital Curiosity

For the children in the room, the session doubled as an early introduction to AI as a creative and learning tool — meant to build curiosity and digital awareness well before it becomes a requirement rather than a novelty. For the senior citizens, it was more about closing a gap: getting comfortable with a technology that's already woven into daily digital life whether they've engaged with it directly or not.

Young participants listen attentively as DICT-CAR introduces them to the possibilities and practical applications of Artificial Intelligence during the learning session at SM City Baguio.

Beyond the technology itself, the session was really about reinforcing a bigger point: that digital learning doesn't have an age cutoff. As AI keeps evolving, SM City Baguio and DICT-CAR are aiming to help communities across every age group become more confident, better informed, and more responsible digital users.

Senior citizens actively engage in a discussion on Artificial Intelligence with DICT-CAR, gaining practical insights on how AI can be used safely and responsibly in everyday life.

Throughout the session, participants engaged directly with DICT-CAR's resource speakers, tried out AI tools firsthand, and picked up practical strategies for navigating emerging tech. The open-discussion format let both younger and older participants ask questions and swap experiences — turning the session into something closer to a shared discovery than a one-way lecture.

A Mother-and-Son Take on the Experience

For families, the session offered a chance to learn about AI side by side — parent and child working through the same material, together.

Joan Jimenez attended with her 10-year-old son, Jacob, a Grade 5 student, and said the activity gave kids a real head start on understanding a technology that's only going to become more embedded in their everyday lives.

“Yung age ng mga bata ngayon, very common na yung AI. I think magandang opportunity sa kanila ito para ma-broaden yung knowledge nila at ma-experience din kung paano nagwo-work ang AI. I am very thankful kasi ino-open ng SM City Baguio ang mga ganitong opportunities para sa mga kids. I hope na mas marami pang ganitong programs,” Joan shared.

She also pointed to something more practical — having a reliable, accessible venue where her son could keep learning even when class suspensions and rough weather got in the way.

“For us, despite the weather and the suspension of classes, we feel safe here at SM City Baguio while the kids are learning and participating in activities like this,” she added.

10-year-old Jacob Jimenez raises questions during the AI learning session, exploring how Artificial Intelligence can support learning and creativity.

Jacob himself was mostly curious about what AI can do past the basics — simple chats and searches weren't really the point for him.

“I want to know more about AI because it is futuristic technology. I tried a game where you have to use AI, and I also made an app,” Jacob shared.

Seniors Learning to Spot the Risks

AI FOR ALL AGES — Senior citizens actively participate in the AI learning session led by DICT-CAR.

The session also pushed senior citizens to get more comfortable with new technology and see for themselves that digital learning really isn't age-restricted.

Senior participant Cheryl Alquiza proudly shows her certificate after completing the AI learning session led by DICT-CAR at SM City Baguio.

Cheryl Alquiza, one of the senior participants, said the session gave her genuinely useful information about the risks seniors specifically tend to face online.

“We learned so much information, and the experiences shared by someone who was scammed were a big help to us, especially us seniors. Sometimes, we are very vulnerable to scams. Hindi namin alam na puwede ka pala maloko through text and messages lang,” Cheryl shared.

She also flagged the importance of staying alert around digital and financial services more broadly.

“Dapat aware din tayo, especially when using ATMs, because we learned that there are also things we need to be careful about when using them,” she added.

“Technology Doesn't Choose an Age”

Engineer Katherine Aguilar of DICT-CAR, who led the AI discussion, pointed to the mixed-age format itself as one of the session's most meaningful details — proof that technology can genuinely bridge generations rather than divide them.

“Maganda yung ginawa natin kasi from kids to seniors, it only goes to show na yung technology ay walang pinipiling edad. Very inclusive siya,” Engineer Aguilar shared. “SM City Baguio is not just for shopping or entertainment, but it is also a venue for learning. So we're very happy that we have the venue provided by SM.”

Between the kids discovering what AI can actually do and the seniors picking up sharper instincts around digital safety, the session made a fairly simple point stick: digital literacy works better as something communities build together, not something taught in separate rooms by age group.

The initiative reflects SM City Baguio's broader commitment to creating meaningful learning opportunities for its community. By bringing digital literacy programs within reach of different generations, SM continues to support a more digitally inclusive community — one where everyone gets a real shot at participating in, learning from, and benefiting from what technology has to offer.