AI Seminar

AI is fundamentally transforming various sectors of our contemporary society. Its influence spans across healthcare, finance, entertainment, governance, and education, leaving an unmistakable mark on each field. These rapid advancements prompt us to delve deeper into AI's far-reaching implications, considering both its transformative potential and the ethical boundaries we must uphold.

AI's impact today is profound and far-reaching:

• Decisive Power: AI systems can make critical decisions affecting millions, shaping livelihoods, freedoms, and even perceptions of identity and consciousness.

• Understanding AI's Role: It is essential for everyone—designers, developers, and consumers alike—to understand AI's growing influence and its broad societal impact.

The rapid development of AI has outpaced the establishment of comprehensive governance frameworks. This gap has underscored the urgent need for ethical guidelines in AI development:

• In response, UNESCO published its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in 2021. This historic agreement, supported by 193 Member States, provides a roadmap for the fundamental values, principles, and policies that should govern AI's evolution.

Reykjavik University’s Response

Reykjavik University (RU) identified a crucial gap in its offerings: the absence of a dedicated ethics course within the Department of Computer Science. As it is well documented that bias exists in AI models, it important to dedicate courses.

• To address this gap, RU created the Seminar in AI. This course is designed to integrate ethical considerations into the AI curriculum, ensuring that students are equipped to navigate the complex ethical landscape of AI.

• Developing this new course required extensive planning, coordination, and approvals, demanding significant effort from both faculty and staff.

• One of the main challenges was to incorporate rapidly evolving ethical recommendation into the course.

RU created the course AI Seminar to address this need. 

This 2 ECTS seminar course aimed to help equip students with an essential knowledge and analytical tools to critically assess AI technologies and their societal integration. 

Through a series of guest lectures, discussions, case studies, and collaborative group projects, we explored areas including:

• What were the implications of AI-driven decision-making in fields like government, business, healthcare, and education?

• How did we strike a balance between AI's potential benefits and the risks of perpetuating biases, inequality, and even potential existential threats?

• How might we design AI systems in the future that respect human rights and dignity?

Furthermore, we also delved deep into understanding how cultural, social, and historical contexts shaped our perspectives on ethics and how these, in turn, should influence the development and deployment of AI technologies. How could we “humanize” this technology for good.

For those interested in getting involved in this field, we also took time to explore the various career and education paths to consider.

The future of AI was not just about algorithms and data; it was about the very fabric of human society and our shared values. Your participation and insights were integral in shaping a discourse that charted the course of our collective future.

After taking the course, diligently attending the classes and doing the assignments, thoroughly reading, and actively participating in discussions, students should be able to:

• Understand the Foundations and Impacts of AI: Students will have the opportunity to explore the fundamental principles of artificial intelligence and its role in sectors such as healthcare, finance, entertainment, governance, and education. They will also recognize the profound impact AI-driven decisions have on society, from shaping livelihoods and freedoms to influencing perceptions of identity and consciousness.

• Assess AI Technologies: One of the goals for the course is to help students evaluate the implications of AI-driven decision-making in various fields, understanding both the benefits and the potential pitfalls associated with these technologies, especially in terms of biases, inequalities, and potential threats.

• Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts: Students should also be able to explain how cultural, social, and historical contexts shape our perspectives on ethics. They will understand how these perspectives should subsequently influence the development and deployment of AI technologies, aiming to humanize AI for societal good.

• Navigate Career and Educational Paths in AI: Students will acquire knowledge of the various career and educational opportunities in the field of AI, enabling them to make informed decisions about their potential future in the domain.