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The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (COMP90087)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Simon Coghlan
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject aims to provide students with the necessary tools to: identify social and ethical issues of digital technology particularly artificial intelligence and reason about these issues; communicate concerns, or discuss ideas, from differing points of view; and ultimately build technology with awareness of, and respect for, inclusion and the responsibility that comes with building powerful tools. Not contemplating ethical or social implications of AI and other technological tools may open up unintended consequences and risks. Ethical dilemmas can also cause additional personal stress for individuals who lack the skills to think about them reflectively. For these reasons, the growing societal and ethical problems raised by artificial intelligence and other technologies have become a major focus of many organisations, including for start-ups, government, defence, and many corporations.
Topics include:
- the history of artificial intelligence
- established ethical theories and concepts and their relation to artificial intelligence and technology
- fairness, equity, and discrimination in automated decision making
- accountability, explainability, and transparency of AI
- practical approaches and ethical frameworks for designing, developing and deploying technology responsibly
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should:
- Understand and describe the social and ethical issues raised by technology in various contexts
- Apply established ethical theories to reason about social and ethical issues related to technology
- Critically examine, analyse, and apply ethical perspectives to design, develop and deploy of digital technologies responsibly
- Communicate perspectives to other technical professionals and the community at large
- Demonstrate a profound respect for that fact that just because you can, does not mean you should create a technology
Generic skills
- Ability to analyse and interpretative complex information
- Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation, and solution
- High-level design skills, through proposing new uses of technology to support human activity
- Ability to communicate ideas in oral and verbal forms to different audiences
- Capacity for creativity and innovation ability to communicate effectively with both technical people and the community at large
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
One of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
COMP10001 | Foundations of Computing |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
COMP10002 | Foundations of Algorithms |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
COMP20003 | Algorithms and Data Structures | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
COMP20007 | Design of Algorithms | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
COMP90041 | Programming and Software Development |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
COMP90059 | Introduction to Programming |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
ENGR30004 | Numerical Algorithms in Engineering |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
OR
Equivalent introductory programming and algorithms experience
OR
Admission into or selection of one of the following:
- MC-CS Master of Computer Science
- MC-SCICMP Master of Science (Computer Science)
- MC-DATASC Master of Data Science
- MC-SOFTENG Master of Software Engineering
- MC-DINFENG Master of Digital Infrastructure Engineering
- Software specialisation (formal) in the MC-ENG Master of Engineering
- Software with Business specialisation (formal) in the MC-ENG Master of Engineering
- 100pt Program course entry point in the MC-IT Master of Information Technology
- 150pt Program course entry point in the MC-IT Master of Information Technology
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
ISYS90051 | Digital Impacts on Business and Society | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
No longer available |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Tutorial participation and contributions to online discussion. Two hours per week. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO's) 1 to 4 are addressed by tutorial participation and contributions to online discussion. | Throughout the teaching period | 20% |
Critical evaluation essay. ILO's 1 to 5 are addressed in the essay.
| Week 7 | 30% |
Research essay. Due first week of examination period. ILO's 1 to 5 are addressed in the essay.
| During the examination period | 30% |
Exam. ILO's 1 and 2 are addressed in the exam.
| During the examination period | 20% |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Simon Coghlan Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours, comprising one 2-hour lecture and one 1-hour tutorial per week Total time commitment 200 hours Teaching period 26 February 2024 to 26 May 2024 Last self-enrol date 8 March 2024 Census date 3 April 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 3 May 2024 Assessment period ends 21 June 2024 Semester 1 contact information
Simon Coghlan
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Information Technology Course Master of Computer Science Course Master of Data Science Course Master of Engineering Specialisation (formal) Software Specialisation (formal) Mechatronics Specialisation (formal) Software with Business - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024