Project Overview
The MFA Design for Social Innovation program at the School of Visual Arts asked me to take over their Technology for Social Change class. Due to my background and expertise I focused the course on Artificial Intelligence, but because the course had never been taught I had the unique opportunity to design the curriculum and assignments.
SVA
Role
Adjunct Faculty
Date
September 2017 - December 2017
Client
School of Visual Arts
Delivered
Semester Course
Description
For the fall 2017 semester I taught a course on Artificial Intelligence for Social Change at the Design for Social Innovation graduate program at the School for Visual Arts. I designed the syllabus and course to teach the fundamental history and concepts of Artificial Intelligence and focus on many of the positive social change applications that already exist. Our readings touched on everything from Alan Turing to Isaac Asimov. We looked at how sci-fi impacts our thinking about AI, and all of the many manifestations of AI in our technologies today. The course culminated in a final project where the students were to design an AI application that would help promote positive social change. Some of the final projects included a chatbot to help recent immigrants create a resume and find work that matches their unique skill set, and a facial recognition application for cancer patients that uses their unique personality and bone structure to find them the perfect wig.