How do you react to the term “Artificial Intelligence”? Is it “No way a program can be truly intelligent,” or “It’s here now in a big way,” or “It’s great, and it’s going to be even better,” or “It’s terrifying for the future”? Or maybe, “I don’t know what I should think – what is ‘AI’, anyway?” Except for that last question, whatever your reaction, you are in good company with well-informed, thoughtful experts on Artificial Intelligence.

The goal of this course is to help you to arrive at enough understanding to reach your own conclusion about how AI may affect the world, and how soon these effects are likely to arrive. To do this, we will explore what the varieties of AI are and how they work (without being very technical), the most common and influential ways in which AI is used today, and the range of predictions for AI’s effects on employment and the nature of work, and on politics and society. No prior experience necessary – only a lively, informed interest in a changing world.

Each student should come to class having read the assigned pages in our text, Artificial Intelligence for Dummies (don’t be put off, this one is pretty good) and short assigned articles to supplement the text. Students will receive a list of additional, optional recommended readings for further personal exploration for those seeking more depth. In class we’ll discuss what we’ve read, and may watch some short videos.