Learning Assistant: Aarya Soni Fri 12:00pm - 1:00pm. Location TBD
Course Prerequisites
Besides basic mathematical and analytical abilities and written and oral communication skills, only curiosity and willingness to explore are needed to take this course. No prior exposure to computer science is assumed.
The assignments will require reflection, reasoning, critical thinking, and effective communication.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that are increasingly powerful and ubiquitous are transforming all aspects of our lives – from how we work to how we make sense of the world around us to how we extract knowledge from data to how we diagnose and treat diseases to how we learn to how we interact with others to how we create works of art. To successfully thrive in a world being transformed by AI and to engage meaningfully in helping shape highly consequential societal policies and regulations around AI, every citizen needs a basic understanding of what AI is, how it works, what it can and cannot do, its benefits as well as its potential for harm. This course is designed to provide such an accessible understanding of AI.
Course Overview
Artificial Intelligence: The Very Idea” is designed to demystify AI. It will cover key concepts needed to understand recent AI advances, as well as the ethical and societal implications of AI technologies. Students will acquire general AI literacy, including:
Intellectual roots of AI
Disparate goals of AI
What AI is and what it is not
What AI can do and what it can't
How AI works
Many types of AI and their applications
The risks and benefits of AI technologies
The societal impacts of AI technologies
Ethics of AI – maximizing benefits, minimizing harm
Here is a podcast about A-I 100:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Discuss the core intellectual foundations of AI
Demonstrate an understanding of different types of AI capabilities
Discuss applications of AI across different areas of human endeavor
Articulate the benefits of AI
Discuss the societal impacts of AI
Articulate the ethical considerations around AI applications
Distinguish AI science from science fiction
Effectively communicate about AI with diverse audiences
Target Audience
This course is targeted primarily to beginning undergraduate students across the university, regardless of their major, interested in gaining a basic understanding of AI. The course should be of interest to students majoring in Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Learning Sciences, Material Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Business, Public Policy, Liberal Arts, Humanities, and other disciplines. The instructor welcomes students with a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds and interests.
