Explore the impact of AI on society in Wayne State’s new online course
This fall, Wayne State’s philosophy department introduced a new online course: "AI and Data Ethics." The course, designed and taught by Griffin Kiegiel, a Ph.D. candidate, explores a variety of ethical issues related to artificial intelligence systems, including algorithmic bias, data privacy and the use of AI in war.
Although AI systems have existed in some capacity for at least 50 years, the recent rise of large language models like ChatGPT has brought AI to the forefront of public consciousness. Smartphones are now regularly integrated with AI systems similar to Siri and Alexa, and Google searches result in an AI-generated response before anything else. With tech companies like Apple and Microsoft investing tens of billions of dollars in data centers and AI startups, it seems that AI is here to stay.
“Big tech companies are constantly preaching about the potential benefits of AI,” says Kiegiel, “but the ethical consequences of this technology are rarely discussed—and there are a lot of them.”
While AI may seem like a useful tool with the potential to bring about a glorious technological revolution, it also brings with it many ethical issues that need to be understood if we are to avoid a catastrophic future. For example, using AI in the medical field introduces unique concerns about who is held responsible when a patient is misdiagnosed or how to ensure that sensitive patient data is kept private.
There are also significant environmental concerns that arise as we learn about how much water, electricity and precious metals are required for maintaining AI systems. Kiegiel hopes that his students will leave his class with a more balanced perspective on AI and its effects on society so that they can promote responsible use in the future.
Computer science students aspiring to become AI developers will find this class useful for developing their understanding of how AI technology affects the lives of human beings and how to avoid causing harm, for example, through the unintended perpetuation of social injustice. However, Kiegiel says that students in all disciplines can benefit from this course since AI is becoming a common tool across many fields.
“Whether you’re a lawyer, an artist or a McDonald’s employee, you will likely have to interact with or use AI in the near future,” says Kiegiel. “In order to do so responsibly, you need to first understand the multi-layered ethical consequences of its use.”
In addition to the topics mentioned, the course also explores how AI affects the availability of jobs, how AI may change our views on what qualifies as a work of art and whether the future of AI will bring about the end of humanity or the introduction of a new conscious species.
The course will be offered in the upcoming winter semester. For those interested in learning less about the ethical issues and more about how AI informs our understanding of the mind, check out “AI and the Conscious Mind,” which will also be offered this winter. For more information and to register, visit go.wayne.edu/registration.