Focuses on representations of artificial intelligence in literature and film, drawn mostly from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Also features works by contemporary writers and artists who make use of AI tools for creative purposes. We will consider the aspirations behind AI technologies and the real-world social and ethical questions that result from their integration into a variety of endeavors, including policing, providing companionship, and making art. The seminar format enables discussions about the intersection of AI with gender and race, also changing definitions of intelligence as artists, scientists, and philosophers engage with concepts of reason, emotion, privacy, and creativity.
