Political Science 376 - AI at War: How Technology Shapes Conflict

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a growing role in modern warfare. It accelerates intelligence analysis by sifting through satellite data at unprecedented speed and improves logistics by optimizing supply chains, for example. While these developments raise concern, they also prompt a central question: what is genuinely new about AI in war, and what is not?  This course investigates these questions by tracing the historical role of technology in war, from early projectile weapons and poison use more than 60,000 years ago, to railroads, to nuclear and cyber weapons. The course includes a substantial in-class writing component that guides students through the process of producing original research in the social sciences. The course satisfies requirements 2 and 4 of the 5 Colleges IR Certificate.

Requisite:  Required Prior Coursework: Two or more classes in Political Science, Economics, LJST, or a combination of these subjects

Limited to 15 students      Fall semester    Associate Professor Mattiacci  

How to handle overenrollment: Students will be selected randomly, so each student has the same probability of being selected for the class, regardless of their major or year.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentation, group work, in-class quizzes or exam