AI and Society is a 7-week introductory course designed to help understand the role of artificial intelligence in everyday life. Through friendly, practical sessions, participants will explore what AI is, how it works, and its impact on areas like health, privacy, and community. The course promotes digital confidence and critical thinking, using real-world examples, hands-on activities, and accessible language. No prior tech knowledge is needed. Join us to learn how AI is shaping the world—and how you can engage with it safely and thoughtfully.

DELIVERY MODE

• Hybrid (F2F & Online simultaneously)

SUGGESTED READING

• CSIRO. (n.d.). What is Artificial Intelligence?
• eSafety Commissioner. (n.d.). Artificial Intelligence explained.
• ABC News. (n.d.). How AI is used in everyday life.
• The Conversation. (n.d.). Artificial intelligence and ethics.
• Choice Australia. (2023). The human side of artificial intelligence.
• COTA Australia. (n.d.). Will AI help or harm older Australians?
• Mitchell, M. (2019). _Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Th_inking Humans. London: Penguin Books.
• Shane, J. (2019). You Look Like a Thing and I Love You: How AI Works and Why It's Making the World a Weirder Place. New York: Wildfire.
• Harris, S. (2016). The wonderful and terrifying implications of computers that can learn. TED Talk.
• ABC Science. (n.d.). What is AI? [YouTube video].

COURSE OUTLINE

• What is AI? - Friendly introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Real-life examples: smartphones, voice assistants; Fun discussion: What do you already know or wonder about AI?
• How AI is Used in Daily Life: AI in health, shopping, banking, and home devices; Helpful tools for older adults (e.g., fall detectors, reminders); Sharing personal experiences with technology
• How AI Works – Made Simple: What is data? How does AI "learn"? Examples: recognising faces, predicting words; AI isn’t magic – it's patterns and rules
• Staying Safe with AI: What data AI collects; How to protect your privacy; Spotting scams and fake videos (deepfakes)
• AI in Australian Society: AI in jobs, schools, healthcare, transportation; Who gets left out? (Bias, fairness, and the digital divide); Why it matters to stay informed
• Ethics and the Future of AI: Can machines make ethical choices?; Robots helping the elderly – helpful or risky?; What does the future hold for AI?
• Review, Sharing, and Celebration: Review of what we’ve learned; Questions, reflections, and sharing

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Explain in simple terms what artificial intelligence (AI) is and identify everyday examples of how it is used.
2. Recognise the benefits and challenges of AI in areas such as healthcare, communication, safety, and personal convenience.
3. Describe how AI systems learn from data and make decisions, using basic examples such as voice assistants or recommendation tools.
4. Identify basic privacy and safety risks associated with AI technologies and apply practical strategies to protect their personal information.
5. Reflect on the social impact of AI, including issues of fairness, ethics, and its potential role in the future of Australian society.