7294. Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Governance

AI is reshaping industries, economies, and legal systems—faster than laws can keep up. This course explores the evolving legal and ethical landscape surrounding artificial intelligence, preparing students to navigate the governance challenges that come with increasingly autonomous and intelligent technologies. Taking a modular approach, the course examines AI’s impact across key areas of law, including privacy, intellectual property, cybersecurity, human rights, and corporate compliance. Students will address questions like: Who owns AI-generated content? How should governments regulate AI decision-making? What are the risks of AI in law enforcement, finance, and national security? And how do different global players—the U.S., the EU, and beyond—approach AI regulation (and what are the politics and historical contexts behind those choices)? The course will analyze regulatory frameworks like the EU AI Act and recent U.S. executive orders, while also debating ethical concerns: When should AI be allowed to make high-stakes decisions? What responsibilities do companies and policymakers have in preventing bias, misinformation, or unintended harms? By the end of this course, students will be equipped to contribute to AI governance and policy teams, advise on legal risks in AI development and deployment, and critically assess the intersection of law, technology, and ethics in an AI-driven world. No prior technical knowledge is required.