Introduction
Computers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Algorithms are dramatically changing the way we live, work and do business. The last years have seen unprecedented innovation in areas such as large-scale information processing, problem solving and machine learning. In various work contexts, computers can complete tasks not only – by an order of magnitude – faster than humans, they are also more efficient, more reliable, and they seem much more creative in devising adequate problem-solving strategies. AI and Algorithms are not only used to make sense of enormous amounts of existing data, but they can also be used to make predictions about the future – as such, they become a crucial tool for decision making. At the same time, AI and Algorithms have sparked heated and often contradictory discussions in the public sphere which encompass both dystopian and utopian narratives. Here, headlines range from rouge ‘killer robots’ or ‘artificial intelligences seeking world domination’ to solving ‘computers solving hunger, poverty and illiteracy’. Today’s decision-makers will not only have to use AI and Algorithms as a part of their daily work, but they also need to understand the public discourse surrounding these phenomena and be able to make educated and measured choices.
In this course, we will explore the foundational issues that comprises current developments in artificial intelligence, primarily form a philosophy of mind perspective. Based on a solid understanding of the interplay between minds and machines, we will the proceed conceptualizing future scenarios for business and society, and deliberate on the possible economic and ethical outcomes of these.