Minor Artificial Intelligence: AI for everyone

“The science of tomorrow will be different. The influence of AI is omnipresent and is transforming research and teaching,” says Prof. Dr. Ricardo Usbeck. The head of the new Artificial Intelligence minor has therefore developed an interdisciplinary and action-oriented program: Problems should not only be named and solved with AI. The consequences for society, culture and companies should also be recognized, discussed and the technologies themselves critically reflected upon. All disciplines are addressed: “There are use cases for AI in every major,” says the professor of business informatics, in particular artificial intelligence and explainability: legal texts, for example, can be searched using AI. Environmental scientists collect measurement data more efficiently with AI. Many museums use AI to catalog collections. “Entire archives are now being read with AI. A single person couldn't do the work,” says Ricardo Usbeck.

In the Artificial Intelligence minor, students receive a sound introduction to the technical foundations, applications of artificial intelligence and their impact. They learn how machine learning, neural networks and algorithms work and what effects these technologies have. Special programming knowledge is not necessary. As early as the second semester, students can decide whether they would like to take a more technical or social science approach to the program. “The course is not primarily aimed at business IT specialists, but at all other disciplines. We need a critical, multi-perspective view of AI, technical expertise and multipliers in all disciplines,” explains Ricardo Usbeck. Program participants also learn how to apply AI in their studies, for example in professional literature research. The new AI minor is offered in English.

The “Creative Space” plays a central role in practical application. The experimental space for anyone interested in AI is currently being built on campus. Students and academics can collaborate there to generate new ideas for study, research and teaching. “We can help with practical AI tools. But the Creative Space is also a place where our students can experience and organize discussion evenings or lectures on AI topics themselves,” says Ricardo Usbeck.

Each summer semester will end with an interdisciplinary conference: “We want to discuss and get people talking. Many modules are project-based. Our students present the results at a cross-semester conference in the 'Creative Space',” explains Ricardo Usbeck.