Assignment on AI and Society Course

Week 1 Assignment: AI Foundations Reflection

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 1 Assignment: AI Foundations Reflection

Due: End of Week 1 | Format: Discussion post or brief reflection | Length: 300-500 words

📝 Assignment Overview

This assignment asks you to reflect on your current understanding of AI and machine learning, and to start thinking critically about how these technologies appear in your life.

📋 Instructions

Part 1: Reflection Essay (200-300 words)

Write a brief reflection addressing these prompts:

Prior to this week, what was your understanding of AI and machine learning? What misconceptions did you have?
After the readings, what surprised you most about how AI works?
In your own life, identify 2-3 examples of AI or ML you encounter (recommendation systems, voice assistants, search algorithms, etc.). How do they affect your daily experience?

Part 2: Discussion Forum (100-200 words)

Post your response to the discussion forum and respond thoughtfully to at least two classmates’ posts.

Week 2 Assignment: Data Analysis Exercise

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 2 Assignment: Data Analysis Exercise

Due: End of Week 2 | Format: Short report + visualization | Length: 400-600 words

📝 Assignment Overview

You’ll select a real dataset and analyze it through the lens of what you learned about data quality, representation, and how training decisions affect AI systems.

📋 Instructions

Part 1: Dataset Selection & Exploration

Find a dataset that interests you (suggestions: Kaggle, UCI ML Repository, Google Dataset Search, or your field’s data repository)
Download or access the dataset
Document:
- What does the dataset contain?
- How many records/observations?
- What features/variables?
- Who collected it and why?

Part 2: Critical Analysis (400-600 words)

Write a report addressing:

Week 3 Assignment: Bias Case Study Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 3 Assignment: Bias Case Study Analysis

Due: End of Week 3 | Format: Written analysis | Length: 600-800 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Select a real-world case of algorithmic bias and conduct a deep analysis of what went wrong, why, and what could have been done differently.

📋 Instructions

Case Study Selection

Choose one of these cases or propose your own:

Amazon Hiring Algorithm — Gender discrimination in recruitment
COMPAS Recidivism Tool — Bias in criminal risk assessment
Facial Recognition Bias — Misidentification by race/gender
Apple Card Algorithm — Gender discrimination in credit decisions
Automated Resume Screening — Discrimination by name/background
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Analysis (600-800 words)

Address each section:

Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis

Due: End of Week 4 | Format: Policy brief | Length: 800-1000 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Analyze a real AI policy or regulatory framework. Explain its goals, mechanisms, strengths, and limitations in a professional policy brief format.

📋 Instructions

Policy Selection

Choose one of these policies or propose your own:

EU AI Act — Risk-based regulatory classification
US Executive Order on AI — Biden administration AI governance
NIST AI Risk Management Framework — Voluntary guidelines
California’s SB 701 — Algorithmic Discrimination Law
China’s AI Governance — Industry standards and oversight
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Policy Brief (800-1000 words)

Structure your brief as follows:

Week 5 Assignment: AI & Employment Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 5 Assignment: AI & Employment Analysis

Due: End of Week 5 | Format: Research report | Length: 700-900 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Investigate how AI and automation might impact a specific occupation, industry, or sector you care about. Develop an informed assessment of risks and opportunities, along with policy recommendations.

📋 Instructions

Choose Your Focus

Select an occupation or industry you’re interested in:

Examples: healthcare, education, manufacturing, agriculture, retail, finance, law, transportation, construction, etc.

Research & Analysis (700-900 words)

1. Current State (100-150 words)

Week 6 Assignment: Domain-Specific AI Application Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 6 Assignment: Domain-Specific AI Application Analysis

Due: End of Week 6 | Format: Analytical report with multimedia | Length: 800-1000 words + visuals

📝 Assignment Overview

Choose a domain where AI is being deployed (healthcare, criminal justice, education, finance, etc.) and conduct a comprehensive analysis of benefits, risks, and ethical implications for different stakeholders.

📋 Instructions

Domain Selection

Choose one domain:

Healthcare: Diagnostic AI, drug discovery, personalized medicine, robotic surgery
Criminal Justice: Risk assessment, policing, sentencing, parole decisions
Education: Personalized learning, essay grading, student performance prediction
Finance: Loan decisions, fraud detection, algorithmic trading
Employment: Hiring, performance evaluation, scheduling
Transportation: Autonomous vehicles, traffic management, logistics
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Analysis (800-1000 words)

1. The Application (150 words)

Week 8 Assignment: Case Study Report

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

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)

Week 9 Assignment: Privacy & Emerging Tech Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 9 Assignment: Privacy & Emerging Tech Analysis

Due: End of Week 9 | Format: Research analysis | Length: 900-1100 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Investigate an emerging AI technology or practice that raises privacy and surveillance concerns. Analyze current impacts, implications, and policy responses.

📋 Topic Options

Choose one focus area:

Privacy & Data Collection:

Facial recognition systems and privacy
Biometric data collection and use
Location tracking and surveillance
Data brokers and data markets

Surveillance Systems:

Week 10 Assignment: Autonomous Systems Risk Assessment

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 10 Assignment: Autonomous Systems Risk Assessment

Due: End of Week 10 | Format: Risk assessment report | Length: 1000-1200 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Choose an autonomous or semi-autonomous system. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment examining technical, ethical, legal, and governance dimensions.

📋 System Selection

Choose one autonomous system:

Autonomous Vehicles (self-driving cars: Tesla, Waymo, etc.)
Medical Robots (surgery, diagnosis, etc.)
Drones/UAVs (delivery, surveillance, military)
Autonomous Weapons (theoretical or in development)
Robotic Process Automation (business processes)
Warehouse Robots (Amazon, other logistics)
Your choice (get approval)

📋 Risk Assessment Report (1000-1200 words)

1. System Overview (150 words)

Week 11 Assignment: AI Futures & Policy Proposal

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

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:

Final Project

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Final Project

Due: End of Week 12 | Format: Flexible (see options) | Scope: Comprehensive exploration of an AI & society topic

📝 Project Overview

The final project is your opportunity to conduct an in-depth exploration of an AI and society topic you care deeply about. This is a chance to synthesize what you’ve learned and develop an informed, nuanced perspective or proposal.

Core Requirements:

In-depth research and analysis
Engagement with multiple perspectives
Clear communication of findings or vision
Connection to course concepts
Original thinking and synthesis

📋 Format Options

Choose a format that matches your strengths and topic: