College AI Courses Get an Ethics Makeover

Poster for the course "Artificial Intelligence Methods for Social Good." Credit: Fei Fang | Carnegie Mellon University Years after it became a running gag on HBO's show "Silicon Valley," the idea of companies automatically "making the world a better place" through profit-driven technological development has lost much of its shine. The next generation of computer engineers and tech entrepreneurs may benefit from a more socially conscious education that combines training in artificial intelligence with teachings on societal issues and ethics. A growing number of universities such as Harvard and Stanford have been introducing or developing new courses that teach computer science students about ethics and the societal implications of AI technology. But Carnegie Mellon's Artificial Intelligence Methods for Social Good course may go even further with a hands-on experience that requires students to apply what they learn about AI techniques to societal issues in healthcare, social welfare, security and privacy, ...