The Digital Revolution from Ada to AI

Catalog description

This course, taught by a historian and a computer scientist, will explore the history and the technology of the digital revolution from the 1830s to the present. It will provide a historical analysis and framework in order to understand the relationship between technology and society. It will begin with Ada Lovelace and the conception of a general-purpose computer and culminate with the creation of artificial intelligence. We will study the engineering and computer science that underlies artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the course will cover the basics of AI, working with data, and some introductory-level programming and computer architecture concepts. We will debate two schools of thought that have developed since 20th century computer scientist Alan Turing asked whether machines would ever be able to think like humans: those who pursue artificial intelligence versus those who focus on ways to use machines to augment human intelligence. We will also discuss the ethical issues involved in digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence.