FIT1059 Artificial intelligence: Concepts and tools for impact

AI is reshaping how people learn, work, create, communicate and make decisions, but its impact depends on the values, choices and systems that shape how it is designed and used. This unit introduces artificial intelligence as both a set of powerful technologies and a sociotechnical force with significant social, ethical, environmental, political and economic consequences.
You will explore foundational AI concepts, engage with contemporary AI tools, and examine how design frameworks can guide the creation, evaluation and improvement of AI-enabled systems. Through practical activities and case studies, you will investigate how AI systems are developed and used, how trust and authority are attached to AI outputs, how AI can reproduce or amplify inequities, and how incentives, institutions and infrastructure shape the direction of AI development.
The unit develops your ability to use and evaluate AI tools critically, responsibly and effectively. You will analyse existing AI technologies, consider their impacts across different communities and contexts, and propose ways they could be redesigned or governed to better align with societal values, responsible innovation practices and equitable outcomes.