Everywhere you go, people are talking about AI, but the stories they tell are increasingly contradictory. UK businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), need a way to cut though this noise and the increasingly mixed messages about what AI can or cannot offer them. They need the confidence to decide whether their business can benefit from adopting AI tools, and which types of AI might be a good fit for their needs. And for the businesses that do choose to deploy AI, they need to learn how to implement these technologies responsibly, without harming the customers, clients, communities and employees they depend on.
What is ‘AI’, and what do we mean by ‘Responsible AI’? Why is Responsible AI important for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), and what benefits can it offer for your business?
Responsible AI for SMEs: What Does it Offer?•5 minutes
Responsible AI for SMEs: Understanding the Basics•10 minutes
Expert Voices: How SMEs Can Benefit from Responsible AI•4 minutes
8 readings•Total 69 minutes
Course Introduction•2 minutes
Meet the Team•1 minute
Course Overview•10 minutes
Responsible AI for SMEs: Setting the Scene•10 minutes
An AI Primer: Key Terms and Concepts•15 minutes
Types of AI: What SMEs Need to Know•15 minutes
FAQ: The AI Questions SMEs Should Be Asking•15 minutes
Upgrade to Continue Your Journey!•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 20 minutes
Week 1 - Knowledge Check•20 minutes
4 discussion prompts•Total 50 minutes
Introduce Yourself•0 minutes
How Have You Interacted with AI?•15 minutes
Narrow AI•15 minutes
Reflective Activity: 5 Questions for Participants•20 minutes
Responsible AI - The Basics
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
How are regulation, ethics, and governance driving business needs for Responsible AI approaches? What are the basic principles of a Responsible AI approach, and how can those be applied in the SME context?
Responsible AI for SMEs: Understanding AI Benefits and Risks
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
Focus on the ways that AI can advance your business goals, as well as the risks it can pose, with an eye to how a Responsible AI approach can help you make the right decisions as you weigh these benefits and risks for your business and those you serve.
Expert Voices: Understanding AI’s Benefits and Limitations•6 minutes
Industry Voices: How to Responsibly Manage AI Risks and Benefits•14 minutes
Industry Voices: Responsible AI Advice for SMEs, from SMEs•10 minutes
3 readings•Total 35 minutes
Your Responsible AI Roadmap: Next Steps•15 minutes
AI’s Risks and Benefits: 4 Factors to Consider•10 minutes
Feedback: Assessing and Ranking AI Risks•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 12 minutes
AI Limitations: A Practice Question•2 minutes
Week 3 - Knowledge Check•10 minutes
4 discussion prompts•Total 80 minutes
A Practice Scenario, Part 1: Evaluating AI Use Cases•25 minutes
A Practice Scenario, Part 2: Assessing AI Benefits and Risks•20 minutes
Reflective Activity - When Does it Make Sense to Use AI?•20 minutes
Reflective Activity - What Have You Learned So Far?•15 minutes
Responsible AI - Going From Principles to Practice
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
We will look at the practical elements that allow you to implement a Responsible AI by Design approach, the tools and resources that can help, and how this approach can help your business tackle AI’s ethical challenges and tradeoffs more effectively.
Industry Voices: How to Manage AI’s Ethical Tradeoffs•11 minutes
5 readings•Total 70 minutes
Responsible AI by Design•5 minutes
Deep Dive: Fairness Issues in Machine Learning•15 minutes
Using the Responsible AI Roadmap to Assess Fairness Challenges•20 minutes
What Problem are You Trying to Solve with AI?•10 minutes
Homework – A Responsible AI Readiness and Action Plan•20 minutes
2 assignments•Total 40 minutes
Responsible AI by Design: Quiz•20 minutes
Responsible AI Tools and Resources: Quiz•20 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 25 minutes
Reflective Activity: Recap and Reflections on Responsible AI Readiness in Your Sector•25 minutes
Looking Forward with Responsible AI
Module 5•3 hours to complete
Module details
We will review the prior weeks’ learning, hear from a panel of Responsible AI leaders what they think the future of AI holds for SMEs, and put all of this to work to develop a concrete Responsible AI strategy for your business.
What's included
3 videos5 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 45 minutes
Expert Voices: How Responsible AI Can Drive Innovation•6 minutes
A Conversation with the Experts: Where to Start Your Responsible AI Journey as an SME•22 minutes
A Conversation with the Experts: Responsible AI Advice and Resources for SMEs•17 minutes
5 readings•Total 72 minutes
Integration: An overview of previous weeks' learning•15 minutes
Integration: An overview of previous weeks' learning - Continued•15 minutes
Homework Activity: Building a Responsible AI by Design Strategy•25 minutes
Further Resources•15 minutes
Course Summary•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 45 minutes
Graded Final Assessment•45 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 15 minutes
Reflective Activity: What Will You Do with this Knowledge?•15 minutes
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Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.