One doesn’t need to scroll long to find an AI video in their Instagram feed. Random conversations often include a mention of ChatGPT.
As AI becomes ubiquitous, it also becomes more controversial. So as new questions continue to arise around its use and implications, graduate students are now digging into the code and finding answers firsthand in “Experiential Design and Artificial Intelligence.”
The course, taught by Steinhardt Professor Safinah Ali, offers students insight into AI systems and the social, cultural, and ethical impact of technology—all while they design an AI tool of their own that supports students in different learning environments.
While coding experience is helpful, students without it are brought up to speed and develop foundational programming skills in Python and JavaScript. According to Ali, most of the students have backgrounds in education, communication, or technology, and are interested in how technology can be used to promote learning.
Ali teaches AI applications, along with its limitations and capabilities, but says her goal is to refrain from imposing a particular viewpoint.
“I think AI literacy should be independent of being pro or against,” says Ali. “In class, students use a lot of AI and they learn how to use it responsibly. And then there are modules that are fully dedicated to ethical implications and how AI impacts society, how it impacts classrooms, in particular, and learners and teachers.”