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RIT introduces new courses to equip first-year students with the tools to think critically about artificial intelligence and its impact on human life.
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has proactively introduced two innovative pilot courses within its College of Liberal Arts, specifically designed to empower first-year students with a robust framework for critical thinking regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. Recognizing that the widespread adoption of AI systems has profoundly reshaped human life and the global workforce, these courses aim to ensure that students are not only aware of these shifts but are confidently prepared to analyze, understand, and navigate the complex interplay between technology, society, and their personal college experiences. This initiative underscores RIT's commitment to equipping its students with essential analytical tools for the future.
These newly launched pilot courses are strategically housed within different departments of RIT's College of Liberal Arts, specifically the Department of Criminal Justice and the Department of Science, Technology, and Society. While sharing a common overarching goal of exploring the technological-societal nexus, each course, titled "Interdisciplinary Explorations of Human Problems" and "Science, Technology, and Values" respectively, is meticulously tailored to reflect the unique methodologies, ethical considerations, and fields of study pertinent to its host department. This disciplinary customization ensures that students receive a rich, context-specific understanding of technology's multifaceted influence, demonstrating an interdisciplinary approach to complex contemporary issues.
Associate Professor Kaitlin Stack Whitney leads the "Science, Technology, and Values" pilot course, which offers an in-depth exploration into how various technological tools, including social media platforms, advanced AI systems, pervasive surveillance technologies, and groundbreaking medical innovations, fundamentally reshape communities, power structures, individual identities, and societal opportunities. A core tenet of her course is the understanding that "technologies aren’t neutral"; rather, they inherently reflect the goals and visions of their creators. Students are thus encouraged to critically investigate how underlying human values, diverse cultural contexts, political agendas, and economic forces actively determine what technologies are developed, who ultimately benefits from them, and which populations might be inadvertently marginalized or "left out" of their advantages.
The pilot course "Interdisciplinary Explorations of Human Problems" is co-taught by Professor Irshad Altheimer and Assistant Professor Ashique KhudaBukhsh from the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, bringing a unique interdisciplinary perspective. This course specifically focuses on the application and implications of AI tools across various stages of the criminal justice system. Students will diligently study how AI is utilized, from initial arrest procedures to conviction and eventual incarceration, and critically evaluate its impact on key criminal justice outcomes. Professor Altheimer emphasizes that a significant component of the course involves questioning whether AI truly improves the system or merely offers "the illusion of justice," thereby empowering students to develop the analytical capabilities necessary to assess this technology's profound ethical and societal ramifications.
These new pilot courses are integral to Rochester Institute of Technology's broader, institution-wide commitment to advancing artificial intelligence education and research. The insights gained from these courses will directly contribute to informing and shaping revisions to RIT's comprehensive General Education framework, ensuring that a critical understanding of emerging technologies is embedded across all student learning. Beyond these introductory offerings, RIT has already established a dedicated bachelor's degree in AI and introduced a master's degree in AI in 2023. Looking ahead, the university has ambitious plans to launch an "AI institute" in 2027. This institute is envisioned to serve as a hub for fostering AI leadership, accelerating research, and promoting the responsible, ethical application of AI across a multitude of disciplines, ultimately developing the skilled talent required to effectively guide, apply, and continuously improve these rapidly evolving technologies for societal benefit.