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Artificial Intelligence and Human Values
Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:07:24
Abstract
This course introduces students to the ethical, political and legal debates and transformations in relation to Artificial Intelligence and provides students with concepts and methods from the constructivist and interpretive social sciences to work towards responsible and democratic human-technology futures.
Objective
The main objectives of the course are to enable students to 1) identify the ways in which human values and developments of AI technologies are entangled, 2) articulate what is significant about contemporary transformations in AI and society, and 3) participate and shape the relationship between human values and AI as citizens and professionals.
Content
The growing presence of AI tools for public use, for public administration, inside corporations and in scientific research raises many questions about the ethical, political, legal consequences of these technologies. This course is built around multiple sites of encounter among human values and AI, including bodies, persons, cities, labs, law, and environment. In each site, we inquire about what and whose values are being prioritized and with what consequences. The course also investigates existing best-practices around how to "align" human values with AI (e.g. human-centric design, alignment, reproducibility, transparency, explainability) and introduces students to regimes of ethics and governance of AI being proposed in jurisdictions around the world. Students learn to unpack the values and assumptions in existing techniques and frameworks for the design and governance of AI and to engage constructively with diverse stakeholders to shape the human-technology future towards aims that are reflexive, responsible, and democratic.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DZ , DS , SHE , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Artificial Intelligence and Human Values | No time listed | 2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
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Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
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Type B: Reflection About Subject-Specific Methods and Contents (Subject-specific courses. Particularly relevant for students interested in those subjects. All these courses are also listed under the category “Typ A”, and every student can enroll in these courses.)
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Educational Science for Teaching Diploma and TC (These are the general course offerings of the programmes Teaching Diploma (TD) - categories Educational Science and Compulsory Elective Courses - and Teaching Certificate (TC) - category Educational Science.)
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