Description
This module will introduce you to the study of AI and Society.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of technologies and concepts and can be understood as using computers and software to denote problem-solving capacities and knowledge acquisition (intelligence) which otherwise we believe only belongs to natural beings such as humans.
AI is having profound impact on contemporary societies, with effects encompassing many different sectors (e.g. medical, care, policing, education, industry, agriculture) and applications (e.g. self-driving cars, smart-homes, conversational bots, drones). AIs are reshaping the ways in which we work, learn, age and more generally interact.
This module intersects with the following Abertay Attributes:
- Digital, with the acquisition of new knowledge about current digital technologies
- Intellectual, with the acquisition of new critical skills for understanding AI in Society
- Professional, with the acquisition of knowledge about the complexity of contemporary Society
Aims
Using a perspective from social sciences, this module will introduce you to some of the issues intersecting AIs and Society. Aims: 1. To Introduce you to some of the current debates and concepts surrounding AI and Society 2. To discuss some relevant examples of the impact of AI on Society 3. To reflect on the risks and benefits that AI is bringing to Society
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student should be able to:
- Acquire an initial set of critical skills to evaluate the impact of AI on Society
Indicative Content
1 Introduction to the core concepts
A brief introduction to the concepts of 'artificial', 'intelligence' and 'society'.
2 Introduction to the problem of AI and Society
A discussion of where the problem of the impact of AI on Society comes from, presentation of some of the original debates and examples
3 Contemporary debates
A discussion of the contemporary debates about the impact of AI on Society, with examples
| Teaching and Learning Method | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 |
| Tutorial/Seminar | 0 |
| Supervised Practical Activity | 0 |
| Unsupervised Practical Activity | 0 |
| Assessment | 10 |
| Independent | 30 |
Guidance Notes
SCQF Level - The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.
Credit Value – The total value of SCQF credits for the module. 20 credits are the equivalent of 10 ECTS credits. A full-time student should normally register for 60 SCQF credits per semester.
Disclaimer
We make every effort to ensure that the information on our website is accurate but it is possible that some changes may occur prior to the academic year of entry. The modules listed in this catalogue are offered subject to availability during academic year 2025/6, and may be subject to change for future years.