Special Topics in Business and Public Policy

Artificial intelligence and the autonomous systems that embed it have become the brains of the modern data economy. As such, they have started to reshape human values, trust, and power around the world. Whether in medicine, money, or love, technologies powered by forms of artificial intelligence are playing an increasingly prominent role in our lives. New AI technologies can help drive cars, treat damaged brains and nudge workers to be more productive, but they also can threaten, manipulate, and alienate us from others. They can pit nation against nation, but they also can help the global community tackle some of its greatest challenges from food crises to global climate change. As we cede more decisions to thinking machines, we face new questions about staying safe, keeping a job and having a say over the direction of our lives. How AI evolves and what role it takes in our lives for better or worse, might depend on our race, gender, age, behavior, cognitive capacity or nationality. This presents manifold ethical and cross-cultural dilemmas. Students – as critical change makers -- will learn about these issues and the principles of responsible design and governance structures to mitigate them and turn them into opportunity for enrichment of society.