Module 1: Why do we need Responsible AI for Earth Sciences?

Motivation for Ethical and Responsible AI

Ethical and Responsible AI

This opening module will focus on the impacts of AI across society in general.  The goal is to get us thinking hard about why we can’t just develop and deploy AI without consequence.  This may be known already to many of you in class, from reading the news, but we will dive into some specific readings and movies.

Assignment 1

By Thursday of the first week of class, please complete the following.

To get us started, let’s look at a very recent popular news article on AI and how it is changing our world.  

AI is clearly here to stay, in all aspects of society!  But there can be major problems, and that is part of what we will focus on in this module.

  • Read the introduction to Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil.  There is a physical copy of the available in the Bizzell Library and potentially one in the Youngblood Library.  You can login to the OU libraries to see the status of the copies.  Unfortunately there is no electronic copy available for the library, so you either need to share the library copy or purchase it online (Dr. McGovern read the kindle version).  

And complete three other short readings for Thursday that focus on AI and Bias and how we can use AI for good

Assignment 2

For Tuesday of the second week of class, please ensure that you have watched the movie Coded Bias.

  • Those who took AI in Fall 2023 already saw this movie and presumably can skip if they still remember it well enough to discuss it!
  • OU has purchased the movie for any OU member (anyone with a valid login to OU libraries) to watch. The link is below but it will require you to sign in to watch the movie (after you sign it, it will take you to a mymedia link). Note, this movie is also available on netflix and other platforms and you are welcome to watch it on one of those platforms as well. The link below is available for free but the movie is the same! Please make this a social opportunity and watch the movie together and discuss!

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