Ethan Knotts, a software developer at AI Owl, has advice for students today: “stay curious.”
It was that curiosity that propelled him into applying for an internship at AI Owl when he was still a high school student in Little Hocking. That internship was made possible through the Ohio High School Tech Internship Program championed by Ohio Lt Governor Jon Husted.
Knotts was a member of an organization that connects high school students to businesses for internships. He was curious. He applied.
That’s when luck took over, Knotts said. “I was so lucky to meet AI Owl and to land the internship there,” he said.
He said his interest in technology and his ever-present curiosity were a total match for what AI Owl wanted and needed.
He started at AI Owl as a research intern looking at ways that AI could strengthen business operations and within a few short months, he was a full-fledged game developer working on a product that would engage students in AI.
Knotts was part of the team that developed Jumper AI, an AI Owl game that has students travel through history carrying AI tools to solve problems.
For instance, students engage in the Jumper game by traveling through history and, using AI tools, solve real challenges that faced people in earlier times.
For instance, students jump to the early 2000s where they help an ambitious young entrepreneur launch his startup.
Driving through the bustling city streets in a virtual car, they use AI-assisted tools to make a website and craft effective marketing material. Along the way, students must navigate real-world challenges—such as finding the right audience and standing out from competitors—while gaining hands-on experience with technology and marketing fundamentals.
This immersive journey helps them develop valuable skills in problem-solving, creative thinking, and collaboration, all through the lens of history.
Knotts is a freshman at Ohio University double majoring in computer science and artificial intelligence.
For Knotts, artificial intelligence is a way to level the playing field for everyone. “Anyone has access to it and it can level them up,” he said. “You can become a master of any domain. You can have that mastery in your pocket. All you need to do is be curious, and you can learn anything and do anything.”
Knotts said he’s not yet sure what he wants to do next, but he’s confident that the same curiosity that has brought him this far in life will keep him going, especially when paired with AI.
“I always want to find out how and why things work,” he said. “And that’s my advice to others: Stay curious.”
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