Intelligence, Justice, and the Future: A Very Short Introduction to AI

Instructor: Maxim Miroshnichenko, PhD

Format

Live on GCAS Zoom. Discussion sessions are recorded for those who can not attend the live seminar.

Schedule: Nov 5, 12, 19, 26 (12 pm Noon New York time)

Description

In current scholarship, Artificial Intelligence and profound complexities and innovations have begun to permeate the zeitgeist, becoming a central point of discourse in today’s rapidly evolving digital age. Rare is the occasion when the echoes of AI, its foundational principles, and its applications do not resonate through the corridors of media and academic debate. In this course, beginning with AI & foundational principles, we explore its role in governance, intricate parallels with the human brain and envision potential futures.

Session 1: Intelligent Machines (Sun Nov 5 12pm (Noon) New York time)

During this class, we will elaborate on AI’s basic concepts and metaphors: the brain as a computer, algorithmic rationality, and the human as a feedback system. Based on this, we will trace the origins of AI as an engineering and philosophical project.

Literature

Dupuy, J.-P. (2009). On the Origins of Cognitive Science: The Mechanization of the Mind. The MIT Press.

Session 2: AI Governance: AI and Justice (Sun Nov 12 @12pm (Noon) New York time)

Are AI systems the future judges of our world? In this lesson, we will discuss the question of justice based on predictive policing. Can we deliver the statecraft to intelligent machines? Are they impartial and incorruptible? We will see the primary bias of AI-driven governance based on face recognition and behavior prediction.

Literature

Asaro, P. M. (2018). AI Ethics in Predictive Policing: From Models of Threat to an Ethics of Care.

Session 3 Brain, Body, and Neuromimesis (Sun Nov 19 @ 12pm (Noon) New York time)

This class will question the uncanny parallels between the human brain and computational frameworks to assess the analogy between the brain and computational systems. Is it necessary to imitate the structure of the human brain to perform intelligent behavior? With examples from biology and medicine, we will see how it is possible to engineer AI apart from human-like thinking machines.

Literature

Varela, F.J., Coutinho, A., Dupire, B., & Vaz, N.M. (1988). Cognitive networks: Immune, neural, and otherwise. In A.S. Perelson (Ed.), Theoretical immunology. Part Two (pp. 359-375). CRC Press.

Session 4: Sketches of AI Futures (Sun Nov 26 @12pm Noon, New York time)

Will there be a cyber apocalypse and the rise of the machines? Will the robots have consciousness? Should we expect a cyber-apocalypse, or will we coexist peacefully with machines? Let us try to forecast the future of AI and discuss how it impacts our lives and self-image.

Literature

Natale, S., & Ballatore, A. (2020). Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence. Convergence, 26(1),