FIT2118 Artificial intelligence futures: Research directions, drivers and dangers

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. 1

   Analyse how funding sources, incentives, and institutional agendas influence AI research priorities, and explain implications for equity, safety, governance, and public benefit;

2. 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. 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. 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. 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.