AI Ethics and Society's Future

About this course

Artificial intelligence has the potential to reshape many aspects of society, including what it means to work, create, learn, and connect. This course prepares learners to critically analyze the ethical and societal implications of these changes, anticipate possible futures, and make thoughtful decisions about the development, use, and governance of AI systems. Topics include labor and automation, including historical perspectives on how technology reshapes industries and what AI might mean for the future of work; how AI could transform learning and education, and what risks those transformations might pose; the impact of AI on human creativity and notions of authorship; and companionship and social connection in the context of AI systems such as chatbots. Learners will also engage with speculative and practical approaches to AI ethics, exploring possible future trajectories, identifying risks and tradeoffs, and considering how human choices shape the paths we take. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Masters of Science in Computer Science (MS-CS) and the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MS-AI) degrees offered on the Coursera platform. This fully accredited graduate degree offer targeted courses, short 8-week sessions, and pay-as-you-go tuition. Admission is based on performance in three preliminary courses, not academic history. CU degrees on Coursera are ideal for recent graduates or working professionals. Learn more: MS in Computer Science: https://coursera.org/degrees/ms-computer-science-boulder MS in Artificial Intelligence: https://www.coursera.org/degrees/ms-artificial-intelligence-boulder

Course objectives

• to develop critical thinking skills regarding AI's role in society
• to identify risks and tradeoffs involved in AI development
• to understand how human choices shape the trajectory of AI technologies