UNIV 3275 Spring 2020: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence is\u00a0currently being robustly discussed in the public sphere as it never has in the past. While AI has always been a popular topic of science fiction, which many have ascribed to far-fetched dreams of the future, high profile technologists such as\u00a0Elon Musk and Bill Gates are now actively contemplating\u00a0the potential dangers of AI, particularly the prospect of \u201cgeneral\u201d (aka autonomous) AI and the subsequent displacement of the human species as the dominant entities on this planet. Optimistic views of AI\u00a0focus on the power of computer analysis to strengthen human decision making in areas such as environmental sustainability. Even in the realm of general artificial intelligence, the optimistic view is that collective intelligence composed of both humans and AIs will be more powerful and compassionate than either \u201cspecies\u201d would be alone.<\/p>\n
The high-level course objectives are that students acquire the tools (vocabulary, concepts, historiography, etc.) to critically think, read, and write about AI in scientific, engineering, and literary contexts, and going a step further, to interrogate the ethical implications of AI as a technological, social, and cultural phenomenon. Students will learn rudimentary, but important aspects of intelligent, computational modeling and processing, so that they can appreciate the implications of AI with a more sophisticated understanding of the undergirding mechanisms.<\/p>\n
Specific topics addressed in the course include the technical, safety-related, and economic implications of AI-enabled automation. Specific sub-areas include transportation, manufacturing, journalism, legal advising, and military applications; AI-endowed advisory tools in areas such as environmental and resource planning; biases and mediocrities in AIs, which can reinforce human prejudice and myopia; AI and personhood, encompassing the theological implications of AI and falsely-perceived AIs.<\/p>\n
We elaborate further on course themes and motivation here<\/a>\u00a0and an abbreviated list of topics is given here<\/a>. Course organization<\/a>, including grading, and a detailed class\u00a0schedule<\/a> are\u00a0displayed under\u00a0top level tabs on the course main menu.\u00a0An executive summary of the course<\/a> is on Vanderbilt’s Break Thru blog. The Center for Teaching site for the course<\/a> also lists the degree requirements that the course fulfills.<\/p>\n Douglas H. Fisher:\u00a0<\/strong>Computer Science; Computer Engineering; <\/em>Communication of Science & Technology (affiliated)<\/em> UNIV 3275 Spring 2020: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence is\u00a0currently being robustly discussed in the public sphere as it never has in the past. While AI has always been a popular topic of science fiction, which many have … Continue reading
\nHaerin Shin:\u00a0<\/strong>English; Cinema & Media Arts (affiliated); Asian Studies (affiliated)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"