Brief description
This 6‑hour course is offered for the School of Innovation of the University of Trento.
Objectives
Algorithms are everywhere. They decide what is relevant when we search the Internet, which friends we should have, which partner we should ask on a date, and which road we should take. But they are also increasingly good at translating documents, detecting cancer in diagnostic images, etc.
The goal of these lectures is to introduce students to the social impact that algorithms are having on our lives. Students will learn about the enormous power that is concentrating in the hands of the few companies that controls the algorithms and the total lack of transparency that surrounds them. Furthermore, they will learn how the growing complexity of algorithms is such that even their authors are not able to control them anymore.
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to discuss the impact that algorithms are having on the society and the economy, and understand why the legislative systems has difficulties keeping up with the recent advances of algorithmic applications.
Partecipation
No more students are accepted at this time.
Material
The material of the course is contained in this Google Doc.
The file to self-organize groups is this Google Sheet.
Student presentations: Google Folder
Schedule 2020
- 23/03 (17.30–19.30)
- 10/04 (17.30–19.30)
- Students presentations: 14/05 (17.30–19.30), 21/05 (17.00–19.00)