Overview

Class Central Tips

This course on AI for Decision Makers explores the growing use of AI across disciplines and its potential benefits and challenges. The course covers necessary context, such as discussing what AI is, how it works, Ethical considerations, and policy considerations. Through exploring the many AI possibilities at your fingertips, you will build leadership skills for helping your business, lab, organization, or community work more efficiently, creatively, and ethically. Unique Features of this Course - Explanation of AI with minimal jargon - Beginner friendly for those who want to get started learning how to leverage generative AI - Focus on the application for busy workplace leaders - Emphasis on responsible and ethical use of AI - Useful ideas for how to leverage tools to make your work better and more efficient - A fun and playful approach to learning Key Words Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Data Science, Technology Leadership, Technology-driven Workplace Intended Audience - Professionals looking to understand AI at a strategic level - Industry and non-profit leaders and decision makers - Anyone curious about how AI can be harnessed for technology Learning Objectives - Identify common technologies and whether or not they are AI - Explain the essential "behind the scenes" technology of how AI works - Identify possibilities for using AI while understanding its limitations - Describe key ethical concerns for using AI tools - Recognize real-world examples of AI usage that has resulted in ethical debate - Identify possible mitigation strategies for major ethical concerns with regard to the algorithms underlying AI tools - Describe components of LLMs and other AI models and how training data is critical to their accuracy - Identify what kinds of customizations and staffing needs your AI project requires - Discuss a variety of low to high investment strategies for meeting customized knowledge needs - Identify the key elements of a good AI policy - Identify key legal categories relevant to AI use, including intellectual property, data privacy, and liability - Identify strategies for building flexible and adaptable AI policies, such as living documents and separate best practices guidelines Accessibility We are committed to making our content accessible and available to all. We welcome any feedback you might have at https://forms.gle/3sTZpctxzYyhj74NA. Questions related to accessibility accommodations should be directed to https://studentserviceportal.force.com/s/.

Syllabus

Introduction to AI for Decision Makers

This course is made up of four minicourses and describes key information regarding AI for decision makers. This first module explains the structure of the content and the motivation.

Exploring AI Possibilities

This minicourse on Exploring AI Possibilities for Decision Makers explores the growing use of AI across disciplines and its potential benefits and challenges.

Avoiding AI Harm

This minicourse is intended to introduce some of the major ethical issues related to using and developing AI tools, as well as possible general mitigation strategies for those in decision making positions. It also introduces real-world examples of situations that revealed troubling ethical concerns. The course is not meant to replace legal or ethical counsel, but rather to introduce topics to help such discussions.

Determining AI Needs

This minicourse is designed to equip participants with resource and project considerations when undertaking any AI project. Participants will gain an understanding of the decision-making process between adopting pre-built AI products and constructing custom models, taking into account project complexity and customization requirements.