Admission requirements
Students need to be registered for the minor AI and Society to follow this course.
Students of all faculties can register for the minor.
Description
One of the core characteristics of AI is its ability for autonomous decision-making. Such decisions can relate to different aspects of our lives, including risk profiling for criminal behavior, the content and ordering of news media, and the search for and application of new information in professional work. How we ought to govern the use and further development of technologies with these capacities at every level – from the local to the inter/supranational – is a central question of the early 21st century.
This course introduces students to the frameworks necessary to understand what governance looks like in practice and how different design choices (including the laissez-faire choice of taking no action to change the state of the world) enable and constrain different types of behavior on the part of actors working on or with AI. In this way, the course further addresses challenges for the governance of AI as well as potential solutions.
The readings and class discussions draw from public administration, law, institutional economics, network/graph theory, computer science, and sociology, among other fields. Examples include the nature and role of institutions in governance frameworks generally and for AI in particular; politics and the complexity of data and information; government procurement and use of AI, and distribution of responsibilities among different actors involved in AI governance.
Students are expected to attend class and participate in discussions of the readings and how they relate to each class session’s broader topic. It is explicitly not designed to enable cram-and-slam test-taking strategies. There is no final examination.
Course objectives
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
Demonstrate the application of course content and analytic frameworks to the critical study of a current instance of AI governance (skills: researching; analyzing; written communication; reflecting; independent learning);
Understand and communicate the challenges associated with governance of AI in regulating private sector use and development, and discuss potential solutions (skills: researching; analyzing; generating solutions; written communication; reflecting; independent learning);
Understand and communicate the challenges associated with governance of public sector AI adoption and use, and discuss potential solutions (skills: researching; analyzing; collaborating; oral communication; written communication; presenting; independent learning); and
Identify the pros and cons of current approaches to AI governance in the public sector using real world examples and academic literature, and take and defend a position on their merits (skills: researching; analyzing; collaborating; oral communication; written communication; social awareness; independent learning).
Timetable
See MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Lectures
Number of (2 hour) lectures: 10
Names of lecturers: Dr. Matt Young (FGGA), prof.dr. Anne Meuwese (FdR)
Required preparation by students: Carefully read all material assigned for each course session in advance of each session, and be prepared to actively participate in class discussions.
Assessment method
Examination form(s)
The course has four evaluative components:
1. Participation in class discussions having read the assigned materials in advance of each class session (15% of course grade);
2. An individual written assignment (25% of course grade);
3. A group written assignment (40% of course grade); and
4. An in-person group presentation (20% of course grade)
Compensation between partial grades is possible. Thus, a failing grade for one part can be compensated by a passing grade for another part.
Submission procedures
All written materials will be submitted through TurnItIn via Brightspace. Presentations will be held during class sessions.
Areas to be tested within the exam
The examination syllabus consists of the required reading (literature) for the course, the course information guide and the subjects taught in the lectures, the seminars and all other instructions which are part of the course.
If the course is not completed with a passing grade within the academic year, any partial grades obtained will expire by the end of the academic year.
Reading list
Obligatory course materials
Literature:
The study material and the course information guide for this course will be posted on Brightspace.
Registration
Registration for courses and exams takes place via MyStudymap. If you do not have access to MyStudymap (guest students), look here (under the Law-tab) for more information on the registration procedure in your situation.
Contact
Coordinator: Dr. Matt Young
Email: m.m.young@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Institution/division
Institute: Institute of Public Administration
Department: Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs
Room number secretary: 4.80 Wijnhaven, Turfmarkt 99, 2511 DP Den Haag
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00
Telephone number secretary: +31 (0)70 800 9400
Email: secrbsk@fgga.leidenuniv.nl