Learner Reviews & Feedback for Artificial Intelligence: Ethics & Societal Challenges by Lund University
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About the Course
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics & Societal Challenges is a four-week course that explores ethical and societal aspects of the increasing use of artificial intelligent technologies (AI). The aim of the course is to raise awareness of ethical and societal aspects of AI and to stimulate reflection and discussion upon implications of the use of AI in society.
The course consists of four modules where each module represents about one week of part-time studies. A module includes a number of lectures and readings. Each lesson finishes with a mandatory assignment in which you write a short sum-up of the most important new knowledge/insight you gained from this lesson, and review a lesson sum-up written by another student/participant. The assessments are intended to encourage learning and to stimulate reflection on ethical and societal issues of the use of AI in society. Participating in forum discussions is voluntary but strongly encouraged.
In the first module, we will discuss algorithmic bias and surveillance. Is it really true that algorithms are purely logical and free from human biases or are they maybe just as biased as we are, and if they are, why is that and what can we do about it? AI in many ways makes surveillance more effective, but what does it mean to us if we are increasingly being watched in more and more sophisticated ways?
Next, we will talk about the impact of AI on democracy. We discuss why democracy is important, and how AI could hamper public democratic discussion, but also how it can help improve democracy. We will for instance talk about how social media could play in the hands of authoritarian regimes and present some ideas on how to make use of AI tools to develop the functioning of democracy.
A further ethical question concerns whether our treatment of AI could matter for the AIs themselves. Can artefacts be conscious? What do we even mean by “conscious”? What is the relationship between consciousness and intelligence? This is the topic of the third week of the course.
In the last module we will talk about responsibility and control. If an autonomous car hits an autonomous robot, who is responsible? And who is responsible to make sure AI is developed in a safe and democratic way?
The last question of the course, and maybe also the ultimate question for our species, is how to control machines that are more intelligent than we are. Our intelligence has given us a lot of power over the world we live in. Shall we really give that power away to machines and if we do, how do we stay in charge?
At the end of the course, you will have
· a basic understanding of the AI bias phenomenon and the role of AI in surveillance,
· a basic understanding of the importance of democracy in relation to AI and acquaintance with common issues with democracy in relation to AI,
· an understanding of the complexity of the concepts ‘intelligence’ and ‘consciousness’ and acquaintance with common approaches to creating artificial consciousness,
· a basic understanding of the concepts of ‘forward-looking’ and ‘backward-looking responsibility’ and an acquaintance with problems connected to applying these concepts on AI,
· a basic understanding of the control problem in AI and acquaintance with commonly discussed solutions to this problem,
· and an ability to discuss and reflect upon the ethical and societal aspects of these issues....
Top reviews
KS
Aug 31, 2023
great introduction to AI for the average person. Good insight into the issues we will face and ways we can use democratic ways to resolve and monitor.
T
Dec 29, 2023
This is a thorough course on AI ethics from a philosophical and social perspective. It will give you a strong fundamental to understand AI ethics.
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26 - 31 of 31 Reviews for Artificial Intelligence: Ethics & Societal Challenges
By Yoali O L
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Mar 26, 2024
Es muy bueno pero a veces los videos pueden ser excesivamente largos.
By Sofie A
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Mar 14, 2022
Course providing a nudge into the moral and ethical dilemmas with AI.
By Kathy A M
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Feb 7, 2022
Very informarive. Covers benefits and pitfalls of AI.
By James T
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Mar 16, 2024
Overall interesting. Lacked depth due to a lack of feedback response.
By Ivan L
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Dec 23, 2023
The logic using peer reviewed assignments is the worst that exists in the educational field. In many years of online courses, I am surprised that it is still used. It shows your laziness - you want to have a course to promote the university brand, but not want to spend effort to feedback. People pay for a subscription and then ask for a forum to evaluate their answer because they cannot receive a certificate without it. Do you think it's ok? Sorry, but I won't participate in this absurdity.
By barei
•
May 30, 2023
I have fulfilled this course with success but coursera didn't send me my certificate
