Legal, Ethical and Social Issues of Artificial Intelligence

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 4023522EEW for working students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Possible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

NOTE: registration for this course is only possible for working students. Day students can register for courses whose code ends with an R. At Inschrijven / studentenadministratie@vub.be you must be registered at the VUB as a working student for the current academic year.

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Law and Criminology

Department

Metajuridica

Educational team

Rosamunde Elise Van Brakel (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

24 contact hours Lecture
126 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

The students learn about the interdisciplinary dimensions and consequences of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and about the interaction between AI and society, in particular by going deeper into the legal, ethical and social issues of AI. The course will discuss current regulatory and policy developments of AI in Belgium and internationally, and research on AI from different disciplines such as law, science and technology studies, surveillance studies, media studies, political science, philosophy and computer science. It will discuss current developments and case studies from the public and private sectors in Belgium and internationally.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : digital syllabus, PowerPoint slides, blog posts, online articles, podcasts and short films, Canvas
Digital course material (Recommended) : extra articles included in syllabus, blog posts, online articles, podcasts and short films

Additional info

A syllabus of mandatory and complementary texts and other online resources will be made available on the Canvas site of this course. The course requires active participation of the students. Day students are expected to actively participate in the lectures, read the required literature in advance of the lectures and participate in assignments. Two sessions will be organised (online) for working students to answer questions and provide the possibility to receive feedback on their abstracts and papers. Guest lecturers will be invited who will go more in depth into case studies or specific topics.

Learning Outcomes

Leerresultaat

KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT

The student develops critical thinking and in-depth interdisciplinary practical and theoretical knowledge of AI through various forms of knowledge transfer and independent study.
The student gains critical insight into the main legal, ethical and social aspects of AI.
The student acquires specialised knowledge of the European AI act and national and international regulatory and policy developments in relation to AI.
The student acquires insight in applying an interdisciplinary case study research analysis.

SKILLS

The student critically analyses the main legal, ethical and social aspects of AI practices in the public or private sector.
The student applies the theoretical and practical knowledge from the required literature and course to a self-chosen real-world case study.
The student develops a case study using the instructions given in the course.
The student makes substantiated arguments underscored by the literature that is discussed during the course.
The student critically reflects about a real-life case study of AI and can take up a position in the relevant academic debates.
The student can write an academic paper in English and defend it orally.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 25% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 75% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Oral Exam with a relative weight of 25 which comprises 25% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Other Exam with a relative weight of 75 which comprises 75% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

ENGLISH

Evaluation structure:

Paper: Legal, ethical and social analysis of chosen case study: 75%.

Defense of paper at oral exam: 25%.

Students have to submit both paper and participate in the oral exam to pass the course.

Students can use generative AI for their paper however only as a support tool for their research and have to clarify in the paper how they have used it and where relevant reference it.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context