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CAS Dean's Office 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8012 United StatesThe College of Arts and Sciences houses some of the nation's experts in generative AI research and it has become a leader in intersectional education and training in responsible AI scholarship and training. Faculty across the sciences, humanities, and arts are working at the forefront of AI to better understand not only its technological advancements but also the profound ethical questions it raises. The College offers students various courses related to AI as well as new certificates in ethics and generative AI. Seed grants and programs help support training and research, and the new College AI Incubator will serve as a convening ground for faculty collaborations and student training in AI-related research.
In Action
- Thomas Costello (Psychology) is leading a pathbreaking research study with a team from American University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Cornell University that shows that conspiracy theorists changed their views after short conversations with artificial intelligence. Costello is also researching other attitudes that people hold. This will map out the kinds of beliefs that are responsive to evidence versus those that aren't, which will help us understand why people have their beliefs.
- Mark Nelson (Computer Science) received an SEK 253,880 international collaboration grant from Vinnova, the Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems, for the project “Foraging Games: Exploring Generative AI systems to tackle high-dimensional game design spaces,” hosted at Gothenburg University.
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Leah Ding (Computer Science) received a $148,430 grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the project “Enhancing Ice Cloud Retrieval Through Multitask Machine Learning.” Ding also received a $30,000 grant from the NASA for the project “Enhancing pIWP Retrieval through Multi-task Learning.”
- The searches for several faculty members related to AI scholarship are underway. Computer Science/Physics, Ethics, Digital Cultures in Literature, and Economics have all embarked upon tenure-track searches for faculty who are experts in AI in their disciplines.
Gift from Hamoon and Nancy Hedayat establishes Hedayat Fund for Generative Artificial Intelligence, which will spark interdisciplinary work in AI research and ethics
Meet Spidey, American University’s very first AI robot, developed by computer science professorial lecturer Aref Zahed and powered by ChatGPT.
Aref Zahed launches AI teaching assistant, Sarah, that can speak, write code, and answer questions using ChatGPT and Google technology
Curricula
Below is a sampling of the AI-related courses across the College. View the full AU course catalogue.
- CSC-468/668: Artificial Intelligence
- CSC-476/676: Computer Vision
- CSC-480/680: Data Mining
- CSC-481/681: Machine Learning for Cybersecurity
- CSC-483/683: Big Data Computing and Machine Learning
- CSC-486/686: Deep Learning in Vision
- CSC-496/696 (Fall 2024 special topics): Natural Language Processing/Text As Data
- CSC-496/696 (Spring 2025 special topics): Applications of Generative AI
- DATA-441/641: Applied Natural Language Processing
- DATA-445/645: Neural Networks and Deep Learning
- DATA-442/642: Advanced Machine Learning
- ECON-450/650: Growing Artificial Societies
- STAT-427/627: Statistical Machine Learning
Faculty Research Publications
"Durably reducing conspiracy beliefs through dialogues with AI"
Science
Thomas Costello
Machine Learning Evaluation:
Towards Reliable and Responsible AI
(Cambridge University Press, 2024)
Nathalie Japkowicz and Zois Boukouvalas
Media Hits
- Professor Emeritus Naomi Baron in the news:
- How ChatGPT robs students of motivation to write and think for themselves
Los Angeles Herald, January 20, 2023 - Local School Districts Consider Cheating Concerns Related to AI
NBC4 Washington, February 10, 2023 - AI is exciting – and an ethical minefield: 4 essential reads on the risks and concerns about this technology
The Conversation, April 27, 2023
- How ChatGPT robs students of motivation to write and think for themselves
- Professor Thomas Costello in the news:
- This Chatbot Pulls People Away From Conspiracy Theories
New York Times, September 12, 2024 - How an AI ‘debunkbot’ can change a conspiracy theorist’s mind
Popular Science, September 12, 2024 - AI can change belief in conspiracy theories, study finds
The Guardian, September 12, 2024
- This Chatbot Pulls People Away From Conspiracy Theories
News and Highlights
AI DebunkBot Effectively Persuades People from Believing Conspiracy Theories
An interview with DebunkBot creator and AU Psychology Professor Thomas Costello
Full story
Will Human Writing Survive in an Era of Generative AI?
“Who Wrote This?” by renowned linguist Naomi S. Baron examines the promise and peril of writing in the AI age
Full story
Data Science BS Program Is First in DC to Receive ABET Accreditation
American University’s Bachelor of Science Data Science program recognized by prestigious Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
Full story
What Is the Future of ChatGPT, and Could It Be a Threat to Civilization?
Economist and statistician Nimai Mehta answers our question of the week
Full story
For More Information
Stay tuned for more updates as we develop this exciting new hub for generative AI research and education at the College of Arts and Sciences! For more information about donating and becoming a partner in this exciting effort, please contact Michael Scott at mjscott@american.edu.