SNCF innovates thanks to Rennes SB with ‘Reverse mentoring’ on board the TGV

The morning of 21 January 2025, an unexpected announcement surprised passengers aboard the TGV from Paris to Rennes:

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. You’ve likely heard of Chat GPT, Claude, or Gemini. Join us in the bar car to learn how to use artificial intelligence in your daily life!”

This initiative marked the launch of the “Journey to the Heart of AI” programme (Voyage au cœur de l’IA), an innovative collaboration between Rennes School of Business and the SNCF. The objective? To offer a “reverse mentoring” session where Rennes SB students, trained in the use of generative AI, shared their expertise with passengers.

A mutually enriching experience

This innovative teaching approach transformed travel time into an interactive learning opportunity. Passengers had the chance to discover AI tools, learn how to use them in their daily lives, and refine their prompting techniques.

For the students, the experience was equally enriching:

• It enhanced their skills in active listening and adaptability.
• It allowed them to deepen their understanding of AI concepts by sharing them with a diverse audience.

For the passengers, AI became more accessible:

• Complex notions were turned into practical tools they could apply in daily life.
• Learning took place in an informal, convivial setting, transforming an abstract technology into a tangible asset.

A proven success

This initiative built on the success of the reverse mentoring organised last June with Danone, where students and Danone professionals exchanged insights on AI’s impact in their fields. This earlier programme demonstrated that sharing knowledge across generations and contexts fosters rich and mutual learning.

A commitment to lifelong learning

Through this project, Rennes School of Business reaffirmed its “Unframed” positioning: continually innovating in education to address the challenges of an ever-changing world. By associating with SNCF, the school demonstrated that learning can take place anywhere, at any time, and for everyone.

Innovation is on the move… and on the rails!