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Short course

Introduction to AI Online Short Course

Book course
Introduction to AI Online Short Course | Online<br><br>Image: Yujia Liu, 2022 MA Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL| Photograph: Yujia Liu
Discover how AI has the potential to reshape our world socially and politically. Learn how AI works and discuss the key issues in AI, including ethics, bias and copyright.
Next start months
February 2026
Tutor(s)
Gabi Tropia
Martin Percy
Price
From £390.00

Course description

Course overview

The AI revolution has the potential to be a milestone in human history — as important as the Industrial Revolution, or even more so. It threatens to radically change many aspects of our lives. Yet most people are being left out of the conversation.

This short course offers a welcoming, jargon-free space to explore how AI has the potential to reshape our world socially and politically. It responds to rising public demand for a trustworthy, creative, non-judgmental introduction to the subject, where everyone is free to express how they feel about AI, whether positive, negative, or both.

The course covers a range of topics, including how AI works, the different types of AI and key issues.

Who this course is for

This course is aimed at anyone interested in the future of technology and its impact on society, art and everyday life.

It would be an ideal choice for beginners and creatives from any background – no prior experience is required. Whether you’re sceptical or excited about AI, all perspectives are welcome.

Key information

Topics covered

  • Narrow AI: what AI is, how it works, and concerns like bias, poor data and environmental impact
  • Generative AI: how AI creates content and the challenges around copyright and creativity
  • Human-level AI: are current systems just hallucinating parrots – or something genuinely new?
  • Super-intelligent AI: future risks and rewards of AI beyond human intelligence
  • Discussion throughout: explore your own views and hear others

Learning outcomes

  • Understand what AI is and how it works in basic terms
  • Recognise key issues in AI, including ethics, bias and copyright
  • Distinguish between different types of AI (e.g. narrow AI, generative AI, level AI and super-intelligent AI)
  • Reflect on personal position and concerns about AI
  • Participate confidently in wider conversations about AI’s future
  • Receive a digital badge and certificate of attendance

Materials

Please see our Guide to taking online short courses

Tutor

Gabi Tropia

Gabi Tropia is Course Leader for the MA Performance: Screen at Central Saint Martins. She previously developed and ran the MA Screendance at London Contemporary Dance School. Her work explores the intersections of technology, choreography and filmmaking practices. Her works include the dance film Under the Cobblestones and the improvisatory Jam Series, and her writing appears in Art in Motion.

Martin Percy

Martin Percy is an award-winning director known for creating interactive and AI-enhanced films. He has received a BAFTA, an Emmy, 11 Webby Awards, and a Grand Clio, among others. Martin has made interactive projects for Tate, the British Film Institute, and National Theatre, and his recent work uses AI to tailor learning experiences. He’s also a TEDx speaker and a visiting lecturer at Central Saint Martins.

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