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AI, Ethics and the Law (LAWS10009)
Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Overview
| Availability | Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies such as expert systems, machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, and robotics. and machine vision are affecting almost every aspect of modern society. This means that new techniques in computing are changing the way in which decisions are made and our interactions with machines. These developments have many beneficial consequences. The varied uses of AI also raise a host of concerns, including about their impact on employment, health and safety, interpersonal relationships, human rights, discrimination, and human autonomy. Developing ethical technical and legal responses to these new technologies requires cross disciplinary expertise, including from the humanities, science, design, economics, computing, engineering and law. Drawing on research expertise and industry perspectives his subject uses these kinds of perspectives to investigate AI ethics and the law.
These issues will be explored through the use of case studies. These will include considering:
- surveillance and facial recognition technologies
- AI in curating news and fake news
- algorithmic decision-making by governments, courts, and other public institutions
- AI personal assistants
- autonomous vehicles
- med-tech and legal-tech
- AI in environmental protection
- service and care robots
- autonomous weapons and military technology.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed the subject should have:
- Acquired an understanding of the contribution from different fields, including science and the humanities, into the policy and legal questions raised by AI.
- Analysed and applied the legal responses to AI in a range of current contexts.
- Obtained a general knowledge of the legal issues raised by AI.
- Have the communication skills to clearly articulate and convey complex information regarding AI to relevant specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Have developed skills to be an engaged participant in debate regarding emerging and contemporary issues in the field of AI.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students should have developed skills in:
- Reading inter-disciplinary material in preparation for class;
- Analysing conceptual and practical human rights problems;
- Using legal norms as the basis for advocacy;
- Writing clearly for assignments; and
- Verbal communication through group discussions in tutorials.
Last updated: 3 June 2023