July 1, 2025
AI as a science - course manual
AI as a Science aims to highlight how research involving “artificial intelligence” can be considered scientific, and what that means for us as scholars engaged in this — and related — areas of study. During the course, we will explore answers to questions such as: What is AI? What role do scientists play in the development of AI? And vice versa: what role do AI researchers play in the scientific investigations of computation, artificial intelligence, and intelligence more broadly? Do such roles come with responsibilities and ethical duties? We will explore these questions dialogically (i.e., through dialogue, discussions, and presentations), as well as through lectures. Perspectives will include critical, historical, sociological, and philosophical angles. We will touch on: The history of AI, going as far back as ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations; future projections, including the possibility of another "AI winter." Ultimately, you will aim to answer for yourselves: Is AI a science? Can it be? Will it be? The course will be examined through: Group presentation – You will be split into teams to create a presentation (see Presentation). The presentation combines: Group collaboration, An individual (or more than one person’s) presentation (10 minutes max). Final essay – You may choose a topic related to the course and aligned with your background or interests (see Essay). The essay will take the form of a literature review or journal-style article, aiming to: Deepen and/or broaden your knowledge on one or more topics from the course, Allow you to zoom in or out and develop your own unique perspective. Learning Goals: AI as a Science aims to teach you — and for you to teach yourselves — how to: Define science and AI, critically and in your own words. Understand the historical context of AI: When did AI or AI-like disciplines and ideas emerge? Understand the current state of AI and explore possible futures: Is time a flat circle when it comes to recurring “AI winters”?