Transformation with Artificial Intelligence, 3 credits

Contents

This short course is aimed at software professionals and gives an overview of how to apply AI-based technologies at scale with the objective of transforming and improving how organizations work, considering risks and benefits for individuals and society at large.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), currently most notably manifested as Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI agents, is one of the most prominent technology topics today. However, with the increasing prevalence of AI-based technologies in society, the challenge of applying AI is shifting from mere adoption to ensuring the technologies have a sustainable, long-term transformative impact, achieving desired outcomes for individuals, organizations, and society at large. Against this backdrop, the aim of the course is enabling technology specialists, domain experts, and decision-makers to create technological and organizational conditions for successful application of AI, achieving business goals as well as societal objectives.

The course covers the following topics:

• Data and engineering foundations of AI-based systems.
• Identifying high-impact AI use cases.
• De-risking AI-based innovation.
• Piloting AI applications.
• From AI pilots to scalable and sustainable impact.

The course is project-based, i.e., given initial primers (short presentations) and discussions about the above topics, participants will develop their own projects based on real-world challenges, ideally in interdisciplinary teams and in a continuous dialogue with teaching staff.

The course is designed for working professionals, for example:

• Technology specialists, e.g., software developers or engineers.
• Domain experts, e.g., quantitative analysts in the finance domain.
• Managers and decision-makers

Expected learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
After having completed the course, participants should be able to:

• (FSR 1) Understand the basic engineering foundations of applied AI.

Skills and abilities
After having completed the course, participants should be able to:

• (FSR 2) Apply frameworks for AI-based innovation to different stages of the innovation life cycle.
• (FSR 3) Develop innovative AI-based concepts and prototypes in specialized application domains.

Judgement and approach
After completing the course, participants should be able to:

• (FSR 4) Evaluate the risks of introducing AI-based technologies

Required Knowledge

At least 90 ECTS of which at least 30 ECTS in the main field computing science.

Form of instruction

The course is primarily project-based. To relay core knowledge, the course starts with a series of interactive on-campus lectures, in which participants develop initial intuitions, while already developing first concepts for the project. Subsequently, the focus switches from learning in groups on the conceptual level to project execution.

Examination modes

Course participants will be evaluated based on their participation in the course projects, and based on the delivered concept sketches, software artifacts, and other project results, which are required to be described in a group report. The form of examination is the assessment of (i) the written report (including supplementary materials, such as generated software artifacts) and (ii) the final presentation (oral examination). The grades VG (pass with distinction), G (pass), and U (fail) are used. To pass the course, all mandatory oral and written assignments must be completed and assigned a passing grade.

Adapted examination
For a student who has a decision regarding recommended support due to a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the course syllabus examination format. Individual adaptation of the examination format should be considered based on the student's needs and the expected learning outcomes of the course. For more information, see the Procedures for Support for Students with Disabilities and the Rules for Grading and Examination.

Transitional provisions

If the syllabus has expired or the course has been discontinued, a student who at some point registered for the course is guaranteed at least three examinations (including the regular examination) according to this syllabus for a maximum period of two years from the syllabus expiring or the course being discontinued.