Week 8 Assignment: Case Study Report
Week 8 Assignment: Case Study Report#
Due: End of Week 8 | Format: Report + 10-minute presentation | Length: 1000-1200 words + slides
📝 Assignment Overview#
Conduct a comprehensive case study of a real-world AI system or deployment. Present your findings to the class in a 10-minute presentation.
📋 Instructions#
Case Study Selection#
Featured options (or propose your own):
- COMPAS Recidivism Algorithm
- Amazon Hiring Algorithm
- Facial Recognition Systems (government or private use)
- Facebook/Meta Recommendation Algorithm
- ChatGPT/Large Language Models
- Autonomous Vehicles (Tesla, Waymo, etc.)
- Your choice (get instructor approval)
Written Report (1000-1200 words)#
Section 1: Background & Context (150 words)
- Organization/company: who built and deployed this?
- Historical context: why was this AI system created?
- Scale: how widely used? How many people affected?
Section 2: How It Works (200 words)
- Explain the AI system in accessible terms
- What data does it use?
- What decisions does it make?
- How are decisions communicated to users?
Section 3: Intended Benefits (100 words)
- What problems was it designed to solve?
- Who benefits from its use?
- What efficiency or effectiveness gains result?
Section 4: Issues, Failures, or Critiques (300 words)
- What problems emerged?
- How were these problems discovered?
- Who was harmed? In what ways?
- Quantify if possible (e.g., how many people affected?)
- What was the public/media response?
Section 5: Accountability & Response (200 words)
- What happened as a result of the problems?
- Legal/regulatory consequences?
- Public pressure and corporate response?
- Changes made to the system?
- Is accountability adequate?
Section 6: Lessons & Future Implications (250 words)
- What can we learn from this case?
- How does this inform AI governance going forward?
- What patterns do you notice across cases?
- What needs to change in AI development and deployment?
- Your informed perspective on this issue
Presentation (10 minutes)#
Create 10-12 slides covering:
- Title slide 2-3. Context & background 4-6. How the system works + key issues 7-8. Impact & outcomes 9-10. Lessons & implications 11-12. Conclusions & questions for discussion
Presentation Tips:
- Use visuals effectively
- Don’t just read slides
- Practice timing
- Prepare for 2-3 minutes of questions
- Engage audience: ask them to think about something
📌 Rubric#
| Criteria | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Research Quality | 20% | Well-researched; multiple credible sources |
| Understanding | 20% | Accurately explains system and context |
| Analysis | 30% | Thoughtful examination of issues and implications |
| Presentation | 20% | Engaging, well-organized, visually clear |
| Synthesis | 10% | Draws meaningful lessons; connects to course themes |
📋 Research Tips#
- Use both academic sources and journalism
- Find original reporting on the issue
- Look for responses from affected communities
- Check for official company or government statements
- Note criticisms from multiple perspectives
- Include diverse voices (not just tech experts)
📤 Submission#
- Written report: PDF via D2L by [Date]
- Presentation slides: PDF via D2L by [Date]
- In-class presentation: [Presentation date/time]
Include reference list with at least 10-12 sources.
Presentation Schedule:
Sign up for your presentation slot in D2L. Presentations will be held during Week 8 class sessions.
Questions? Office hours or Q&A forum.