DEBATES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, our program has been postponed. Please contact us for details.
Once the realm of science fiction movies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now a part of daily life. Robots vacuum our rugs; smart watches monitor our movements and suggest life style changes; digital home assistants order supplies and answer our queries. But as AI increasingly permeates society, some begin to question the role it will play in it. Will smart machines one day overthrow us? Or will they be our saviors, helping us live sustainably in our environment – and with each other?
In this intensive 2-week course offered through U.C. Berkeley’s College Writing Programs, you will explore the cutting-edge developments and debates in AI. You will examine what robots can and cannot do, why we fear them, and whether that fear is justified. As you do so, you just might learn what it means to be human. The program includes a variety of interactive learning exercises, and extensive practice in the skills essential for success in higher education.
Program Dates: TBD
Program Fees: TBD*
*2021 program fees will be determined.
Program features, services, and amenities:
Classroom activities, learning materials, and fieldwork focused on the critical debates and developments in AI: machine learning, automation’s effect on the economy, whether robots can be creative, the role of empathy in human-robot relations, the possibility of a virtual afterlife, and more
Classes taught by experienced U.C. Berkeley professors
Intensive 80-hour program (equivalent to a half-semester of coursework)
Individualized feedback and resources to refine your language skills
Mentorship and tutoring from U.C. Berkeley undergraduate student advisors
Workshops on college admissions, classroom communication, and more
Official U.C. Berkeley Certificate upon program completion
Guided tours of the San Francisco Bay Area, with transportation included: Lombard Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, Legion of Honor Museum, de Young Museum, premier shopping centers, and more
Housing located steps from the Berkeley campus, with chaperones, evening meals, linen service, high-speed Internet access, and common areas to relax and chat with friends
Transportation between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and your residence in Berkeley
Program Schedule:
Week One Schedule
| Morning 9:30am – 12:00pm | Afternoon 2:00pm – 4:30pm | |
|---|---|---|
| M | Orientation + Campus Tour | Workshop-“Speaking in the Berkeley Classroom”: Oral skills for Higher Education |
| T | Introduction to course Theoretical models for understanding AI |
Two views on the future of AI |
| W | Machine learning and its limitations | Workshop- Online resources for academic success |
| Th | Intelligent machines | Case Studies: AI – human interactions |
| F | AI and transhumanism | Fieldwork Trip |
Week Two Schedule
| Morning | Afternoon | |
|---|---|---|
| M | Fieldwork Trip | Workshop- Choosing a Major |
| T | AI and the economy | Guest lecture: Local innovators in AI |
| W | Local innovators in AI | Workshop- Writing the personal statement / US college applications |
| Th | AI and transhumanism | Case studies: transhumanism |
| F | Showcase + Lunch + Graduation |