Foundations and Myths of AI

This unit examines the historical roots, popular misconceptions, and socio-technical narratives surrounding artificial intelligence, with an emphasis on implications for legal practice. Students will interrogate claims about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, explore human+AI collaboration models, and evaluate emerging Internet 2.0 trends to prepare for applied legal technology work in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the historical development and key milestones of artificial intelligence and explain how those developments shape current legal technology contexts
• Evaluate common myths and misconceptions about AI by producing evidence-based rebuttals and assessing their impact on public perception and legal decision-making
• Analyze claims about the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Internet 2.0 to identify regulatory, workforce, and ethical implications relevant to legal practices
• Demonstrate principles of effective human+AI collaboration by designing an annotated workflow or case scenario that integrates AI tools for a legal task and includes strategies to mitigate risks and bias