This seminar course will explore the science behind generative AI, the likely future of tools such as DALL-E, ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Bard, and the implications for education, both in and outside of structured school environments. Students in the course will work in teams to each become experts in some aspect of AI and in some way that generative AI could create a new future for education. The background for this course is the public release of ChatGPT, which created new awareness of the potential power of AI to dramatically change our lives. In considering the possible implications for education, ChatGPT has sparked dreams of automated personal tutors, customizable teaching assistance, AI-led collaborative learning, and revolutions in assessment. In addition to optimistic projections, there are clear and significant risks. For example, will AI-assisted learning be culturally appropriate and equally available to all? Can it increase opportunity for underprivileged learners worldwide, or will it accentuate privilege and privileged views? Will it help us learn faster, or distract us from thinking deeply about difficult problems ourselves? As experienced student learners, members of the class will be able to draw on their own educational history and design learning approaches that could change the future of their education and others in college or at other stages of their lives.
3 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
This seminar course will explore the science behind generative AI, the likely future of tools such as DALL-E, ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Bard, and the implications for education, both in and outside of structured school environments. Students in the course will work in teams to each become experts in some aspect of AI and in some way that generative AI could create a new future for education. The background for this course is the public release of ChatGPT, which created new awareness of the potential power of AI to dramatically change our lives. In considering the possible implications for education, ChatGPT has sparked dreams of automated personal tutors, customizable teaching assistance, AI-led collaborative learning, and revolutions in assessment. In addition to optimistic projections, there are clear and significant risks. For example, will AI-assisted learning be culturally appropriate and equally available to all? Can it increase opportunity for underprivileged learners worldwide, or will it accentuate privilege and privileged views? Will it help us learn faster, or distract us from thinking deeply about difficult problems ourselves? As experienced student learners, members of the class will be able to draw on their own educational history and design learning approaches that could change the future of their education and others in college or at other stages of their lives.
Offered in Spring 2026 at Stanford University.