AI Impacts, Safety, and Futures

This capstone unit synthesizes real-world AI applications, leading researcher perspectives, and safety considerations to prepare students for responsible practice and advanced work. Students will consolidate key takeaways, evaluate future implications, and produce actionable recommendations that anticipate social and technical consequences of intelligent agents.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze real-world case studies and expert insights from the unit to identify and explain social, economic, and technical impacts of AI systems, using evidence from provided materials.
• Evaluate ethical and safety concerns highlighted by researchers and safety experts, and propose at least two mitigation strategies grounded in current industry best practices.
• Synthesize key takeaways and expert perspectives to produce a concise policy or design recommendation brief (2–3 pages) that communicates future implications for one stakeholder group.
• Demonstrate readiness for autonomous work by outlining a 6–12 week independent or capstone project plan that applies AI safety principles, defines measurable outcomes, and anticipates potential real-world impacts.