FIT2118 · Artificial intelligence futures: Research directions, drivers and dangers

Overview

In this unit, you will learn how AI research is shaped, communicated, and practiced. You will investigate who and why governments, militaries, corporations, and public-interest bodies fund AI research and how their agendas may influence priorities. You will explore the implications of this for society and the environment. You will cover major AI sub-fields, including language, vision, speech, time-series, and robotics, and investigate how people interact with these systems. You will also practise locating, assessing, and synthesising research using scholarly databases and AI-enabled tools with transparent, reproducible methods and responsible judgement.

Offerings

The Handbook publishes no offerings for this unit.

Assessment

The Handbook publishes no assessment items for this unit yet.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Analyse how funding sources, incentives, and institutional agendas influence AI research priorities, and explain implications for equity, safety, governance, and public benefit;
2. Describe major AI research sub-fields and typical application contexts, including how humans interact with AI systems and how these interactions shape design and deployment choices;
3. Evaluate open problems in selected AI sub-fields by applying structured reasoning to compare approaches, identify limitations, and anticipate plausible future implications if key challenges are solved;
4. Communicate a well-structured research and futures brief that synthesises evidence, articulates uncertainty, and recommends informed next steps for a specified audience, including disclosure of any AI-enabled tools used;
5. Use advanced AI‑assisted research workflows—such as semantic search, automated summarisation and critical reasoning tools—responsibly, verifying outputs and documenting AI contributions with clarity and judgement.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled online and face to face learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated reading and preparation for scheduled teaching activities.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.