Week 11 Assignment: AI Futures & Policy Proposal
Week 11 Assignment: AI Futures & Policy Proposal#
Due: End of Week 11 | Format: Policy proposal or vision document | Length: 1200-1500 words
📝 Assignment Overview#
Synthesize your learning to develop a comprehensive proposal for how AI should be governed and developed to create a future you want to see. This prepares you for your final project.
📋 Choose Your Approach#
Option A: Comprehensive AI Governance Framework#
Propose an integrated governance approach addressing:
- Technical standards and safety requirements
- Ethical principles and accountability mechanisms
- Regulatory structures and enforcement
- International cooperation and coordination
- Stakeholder roles (government, industry, civil society, academia)
Option B: Sectoral AI Policy#
Develop a detailed policy for AI governance in one high-stakes sector:
- Healthcare
- Criminal Justice
- Employment & Labor
- Education
- Finance & Credit
- Autonomous Transportation
- Your choice
Option C: Values-Based AI Futures Vision#
Create a compelling vision of an AI future you want to see, then outline:
- What values should guide AI development?
- What must change from current trajectory?
- Transition strategies: how do we get there?
- Role of different stakeholders
- Realistic milestones and checkpoints
📋 Policy Proposal Structure (1200-1500 words)#
1. Executive Summary (150 words)
- What is your proposal?
- Why is it needed?
- What problem does it solve?
- Key principles and approach
2. Problem Statement (200 words)
- What’s wrong with current AI governance/development?
- What specific problems or risks does your proposal address?
- Who is affected?
- Why act now?
3. Proposed Framework/Policy (400-500 words)
- Detailed description of your proposal
- Key mechanisms and requirements
- Who must comply?
- How will it be implemented and enforced?
- Roles of different stakeholders
4. Analysis of Tradeoffs (250 words)
- Benefits of this approach
- Potential drawbacks or costs
- Risks or challenges in implementation
- How does it balance innovation with protection?
- Is it realistic? Achievable?
5. Comparison with Alternatives (200 words)
- How does this compare with existing approaches?
- Why is this better than other options?
- What could this approach learn from others?
6. Implementation & Transition (200 words)
- How would this be adopted?
- Timeline for implementation
- Key stakeholders to involve
- Potential resistance and how to address it
- Milestones and monitoring
7. Conclusion (150-200 words)
- Why this matters
- Vision for the future this enables
- Call to action: what needs to happen next
📌 Rubric#
| Criteria | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vision & Clarity | 20% | Clear articulation of problem and proposed solution |
| Comprehensiveness | 25% | Addresses technical, ethical, legal, and governance dimensions |
| Evidence & Reasoning | 25% | Well-supported by research; logical argumentation |
| Realism | 15% | Proposals are feasible; tradeoffs acknowledged |
| Communication | 15% | Clear, well-organized, professional writing |
💡 Tips for Success#
- Ground your proposal in research and evidence
- Consider multiple stakeholder perspectives
- Acknowledge tensions and complexities
- Be ambitious but realistic
- Include specific mechanisms, not just principles
- Connect to course themes and readings
- Show how this builds on or differs from existing approaches
📤 Submission#
Submit a PDF document via D2L by 11:59 PM on [Due Date].
Include reference list with sources.
Final Project Connection:
This assignment helps you develop ideas for your final project. You might expand this proposal into your final project, or use it to refine your final project topic.
Questions? Schedule office hours to discuss your ideas.