AI in Society MOOC
'AI in Society' is the latest Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) by UnaEuropa, an alliance that brings together 11 European universities, who share a common goal of modernising education and rethinking the role universities will play in the future.
The materials in this MOOC are designed by content experts from the University of Helsinki, with the course available free of charge also on MOOC.fi, the MOOC centre that is the home of all courses in digital made by Finland, since 2012. Created in 2022, AI in Society is yet another attempt to demystify AI - and help people understand better its impact, and implications.
Main objectives and aims
The MOOC looks at AI technology and how it functions in today's society. This includes how AI has changed society and has altered common social practices, how it is used in institutional settings, such as the public service, key government agencies, and social partners. You will also dive deeper not just into the opportunities opened up by AI, but also into the challenges the technology poses.
No previous knowledge of AI or IT is needed to take the MOOC: great for absolute beginners in the field. It is useful for students of any discipline, as well as anyone else who is interested in understanding the societal impact of AI and how AI technology is changing our daily lives.
What you will learn
This MOOC will give you a sound foundation of the different ethical and social aspects of AI: how it impacts society as a whole, but also interaction. You will learn the main conceptual frameworks and cognitive tools to critically assess AI applications in their respective social contexts, independently. Finally, your knowledge on the challenges of the technology will improve, equipping you better to understand, and potentially prevent unwanted consequences while developing, deploying or using AI applications.
The course is structured in 6 modules:
- Introduction
- AI and Values
- AI and Society
- AI and Discrimination
- AI and Justice
- AI and Democracy