Patriots Foundation Celebrates AI Learning With Local School

"We're excited for the impact that we'll have on students for years to come," said Patriots Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, who's now the team's executive director of community affairs.

Wilson was fascinated with how the students could come up with some of the prompts used in the AI workshop. While admitting he was creative growing up, he said he was good at drawing, but he never could have imagined some of the ideas the students showed him on their computers.

The Patriots Offensive Lineman Was Hands-On

The Patriots new starting center -- who'll move over after the team traded away Garrett Bradbury this past offseason -- said that Mike Onwenu would be the one teammate he'd want to see partake in the AI workshop. He laughed when Will Campbell's name was brought up as an option.

"You sit in there and you kinda think about what they're tying, and you're like 'I would have never thought of that,'" Wilson said. "As a kid, I would have loved it tremendously ... The mind of a child is just so creative. There's just so many things that come out of an innocent mind, and it's really cool."

Outside of the classroom was a giant mural -- one of an owl donning a Patriots No. 10 jersey while celebrating that "tech is our turf." The design was created by Eamon White, a Maine-based artist who's worked with the team before. White is often the creator and designer of the Patriots' "My Cause, My Cleats" project each season, and was tasked with this project.

White drove down from Maine to help with the ribbon cutting, and to take in the occasion.

"I came down here from Maine this morning," White told Patriots On SI, saying the team reached out to him specifically to paint the mural "We went over what they're looking for and how the kids were going to do an AI workshop."

A former college football player, White said he jumped at the idea to help bring this piece to life. When the students were done with their technology workshops, they were able to sign parts of the mural to celebrate the unveiling.

"Combining art and football is amazing, it's been my passion," White said. "I'm blessed to be able to (have) played football in college. ... I was really able to marry my passions of art and football, and blessed to be able to do stuff like this."

The Patriots Foundation was founded in 1994 by owner Robert Kraft in a way to give back to the community. Although Wilson hasn't been in New England for a full calendar year, he already has begun to feel that strong connection between himself and the Patriots fans at all ages.

"I just try to be the best role model I can be," Wilson said. "(The community) supported us. The past two years before (last), the Patriots were rough, and they stuck right with us."