Artificial intelligence is becoming part of nearly every field of study and profession, from medicine and engineering to law, business, science, and the arts. As AI becomes more powerful, one of the most important skills of the next generation will not simply be knowing how to use AI—it will be knowing when to trust it, how to work with it effectively, and how to combine human judgment with AI to solve problems responsibly.
This Honors Trustworthy & Responsible AI course is designed for motivated high school students who want to build that foundation before entering college. Whether you plan to study medicine, engineering, business, the humanities, computer science, or are still discovering your interests, learning to think critically about AI will prepare you to use these technologies thoughtfully and effectively throughout your academic and professional career. In this course, you'll develop a rigorous understanding of how to use generative AI in ways that produce more trustworthy results. You'll learn how to recognize which problems are well suited for AI, how to frame problems to improve reliability, how prompt engineering can increase trust in AI-generated outputs, and why human judgment remains an essential part of every successful AI workflow. Rather than treating AI as something that always produces correct answers—or something that should never be trusted—you'll learn the principles for using AI in ways that leverage its strengths while accounting for its limitations. You'll also explore practical techniques for verifying AI-generated information, validating outputs, reducing risk through thoughtful problem formulation, and using AI to enhance human creativity, reasoning, and learning. Throughout the course, you'll develop the habits of mind needed to think critically about AI, evaluate its outputs, and apply these technologies responsibly across a wide range of disciplines. As AI continues to transform education, research, and professional practice, the students who stand out won't simply be the ones who use AI most often—they'll be the ones who know how to use it wisely. They'll understand when AI can accelerate discovery, when human expertise is essential, and how thoughtful collaboration between humans and AI leads to better outcomes than either could achieve alone. By completing this Honors Trustworthy & Responsible AI course, you'll earn a Vanderbilt University certificate through Coursera that demonstrates your commitment to rigorous study in one of the defining technologies of your generation. Whether you're preparing for admission to a highly selective university or simply challenging yourself to explore AI at a deeper level, the course demonstrates intellectual curiosity, initiative, and a commitment to rigorous learning beyond the traditional high school curriculum. More importantly, you'll develop the judgment and foundational understanding needed to use AI thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively throughout your education and beyond.
