16924

AI - Opportunities, Promises, Challenges and Risks: A Matter for Debate.

Susanne Scharnowski

Kommentar

In July 2025, Elon Musk wrote on his platform X: “AI is already much smarter than most humans, just not yet smarter than any human at anything and much less smart than a group of smart humans using computers (aka “a company”). But it will be. Probably smarter than any single human at anything in <2 years and smarter than all humans combined in ~5 years.” This is just one random example of the continuous flow of more or less sensationalist news, discussions and debates around AI since ChatGPT was launched in 2022. On social as well as in the legacy media, developers, experts from different fields, and users exchange views on the potential social, economic, environmental, educational, cultural, and political impact of AI. Some see a future without work and with a bounty of wealth, a world in which AI will solve all of humanity’s problems such as climate change, inequality, or hunger, and in which every person might benefit from personalised AI tutors, AI doctors, AI companions and robot nurses. Others fear that AI will lead to a dystopian future as presented in Science Fiction movies such as The Terminator in which the fictional artificial general superintelligence system SkyNet is set on the extermination of humans. Between these extreme positions, debates focus on AI’s more immediate impact on work, academia, use of resources, publishing, art, and political communication. Program: Based on academic and journalistic texts, informative videos/ podcasts, and practical exercises, we will explore some of the key aspects in the larger-scale visions regarding the utopian and dystopian dimensions of AI. We will have several classroom debates about smaller-scale aspects of AI, focusing on its influence on education, culture, work, politics, and the environment. These debates not only serve the purpose of intellectual exploration, but will also develop the students’ skills in forming, expressing, defending, and challenging opinions and points of view based on arguments and facts. Is this the right course for you? Apart from having a fundamental interest in the topic, students should be prepared to participate in debates about controversial topics and to examine, explore, and question their own use of AI. Workload and assessment: For the 5 ECTS credits, students have to attend classes, study course materials (academic and non-academic texts as well as some videos/ podcasts) and speak in at least two of the four formal debates in class. The final exam will be an oral examination of ca. 10 minutes. Schließen

16 Termine

Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung

Do, 12:00 - 14:00 16 Termine

Do, 16.10.2025 12:00 - 14:00

Dozenten:
Dr. Susanne Scharnowski