Course Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere. It is increasingly responsible for ‘putting the smarts’ into our everyday lives - literally, into the palm of our hand with mobile devices. It is delivering outcomes of tremendous value to people - for example, by enabling scientists to rapidly transform data into information and then information into knowledge. Furthermore, as we as a species collectively address the challenges inherent in climate and global change, AI is being applied to improve prospects for regional to planetary-scale ecosystems.
However, AI has its challenges. To provide an informed and balanced perspective on the value of AI as a problem-solving tool, this course introduces students to the essence of AI that allows deep neural networks to implement algorithms that are applied to data. By drawing upon a broad array of applications of AI to the life and physical sciences and making hands-on use of AI tools, past and present applications of AI can be understood at a new level of literacy. With this newfound literacy, AI-mediated prospects for future use can be critically assessed.
Students do not require a background in science or math beyond the Grade 12 level to be successful in this course.
Pre/Co-requisites: None.
CCEs: None
NCR: Not open to any student who has successfully taken or is taking AP/ITEC4310 3.00, LE/EECS 3401 3.00 or LE/EECS 4401 3.00.