University of Colorado Boulder

AI Ethics and Society's Future

University of Colorado Boulder

AI Ethics and Society's Future

Casey Fiesler

Instructor: Casey Fiesler

Included with Coursera Plus

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • .Analyze societal impacts of AI across multiple domains using historical context, case studies, and research.

  • Critically evaluate AI systems and deployments by identifying potential benefits, harms, tradeoffs, and the human choices that shape those outcomes.

  • Explore possible AI futures and apply ethical approaches to anticipate risks and imagine better outcomes.

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Recently updated!

May 2026

Assessments

6 assignments

Taught in English

91%

of learners achieved a positive career outcome

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There are 5 modules in this course

This module explores how technological change has reshaped work over time, and how current conversations about AI fit into that longer history. We’ll examine ethical questions related to automation, surveillance, productivity, and worker autonomy, while also considering how workplace outcomes are shaped by human choices and incentives rather than technology alone.

What's included

11 videos7 readings2 assignments

AI has changed how people learn, teach, and evaluate knowledge. In this module we’ll examine different forms of AI use in education, the ethical implications of institutional responses to AI, and what these technologies might mean for the future of learning. You will be be encouraged to reflect on your own use of AI and what kinds of learning experiences you value.

What's included

6 videos5 readings1 assignment

This module explores how AI is reshaping creativity, authorship, and creative labor. We’ll examine different conceptions of creativity, ethical debates around generative AI, and questions about ownership, artistic identity, and human-AI collaboration. This module considers not only how AI can contribute to creativity, but what kinds of creative futures we want to encourage.

What's included

6 videos5 readings1 assignment

Humans often treat technologies as social actors, and AI systems in particular are often designed to encourage emotional and social interaction. In this module, we’ll explore both the potential benefits and ethical risks of social AI, including questions related to loneliness, manipulation, dependency, and design choices. Throughout, we’ll consider how different technological and business decisions shape the kinds of relationships people develop with AI systems.

What's included

6 videos4 readings1 assignment

This module focuses on how we both anticipate and shape possible futures with AI. Alongside speculative approaches to thinking about unintended consequences and societal impacts, we’ll also explore practical AI ethics tools and methods used to identify, assess, and mitigate risks in real-world contexts. Rather than treating the future as inevitable, this module emphasizes the role of human choices, institutional incentives, and collective action in shaping the future.

What's included

7 videos4 readings1 assignment

Instructor

Casey Fiesler
University of Colorado Boulder
1 Course1 learner

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