How might AI transform the world for the better?
This unit examines how AI could automate scientific discovery, boost productivity, and make systems more efficient. We'll analyse claims from AI companies and developers about their systems' capabilities and potential impact. 
Many of this unit's resources come from those building and funding AI technology, reflecting their vision of AI's future against their incentives and interests. Keep this in mind when critically evaluating their claims!

By the end of the unit, you should be able to:
\- Critically evaluate claims about the benefits of AI
\- Explain the incentives, motivations, and goals that drive actors to build and deploy AI systems
\- Understand why actors often seek to advance their AI capabilities


Resources: The Promise of AI

Exercises: The Promise of AI

_Spend 15-30 minutes writing your response._
In this exercise, you'll imagine how AI might change a specific sector.
First, pick a sector from the list below. Tell your cohort (in Slack) what sector you've selected so you can cover a range of sectors:
- Healthcare
- Finance
- Transportation and logistics
- Manufacturing
- Retail
- Technology
- Entertainment
- Media and journalism
- Customer service
- Education
- Other (feel free to choose a sector not on this list)
For your chosen sector, create an evidence-based prediction of how this sector might be positively impacted by AI progress by 2034, ten years from now. 
As you prepare to write your prediction, consider researching from sources like:
- Forecasts about general AI capabilities and capabilities
- Expert opinions
- The existing state of AI in your chosen sector
- Whether your sector is likely to adopt new technology quickly or slowly
Once you’ve completed your research, spend 10-15 minutes writing your prediction in the box below. Be sure to cite your sources and explain your reasoning. 


Imagining sector-specific AI futures

_Spend 10-20 minutes on this exercise_
In this exercise, you will review what a major company pursuing advanced AI systems says about building generally intelligent AI. First, pick one of the companies below and click the link to read or watch something they’ve produced about what advanced AI might look like:
- **[OpenAI](https://openai.com/blog/planning-for-agi-and-beyond)**
- **[Anthropic](https://www.anthropic.com/news/core-views-on-ai-safety)** (read the introduction and “Our Views on Rapid AI Progress”)
- **[Google DeepMind](https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/real-world-challenges-for-agi/)**
- **[Meta](https://www.threads.net/@zuck/post/C2QBoRaRmR1)**
Then, evaluate your company’s claims. Write down:
- The key claims about AI's potential benefits
- The evidence or reasoning (or lack thereof) provided for these claims
- Any potential counterarguments or uncertainties
Finally, answer the following prompt:
Based on what you’ve just read, is the company you chose pursuing a clear vision of a positive AI future? Can you concretely explain the positive benefits this company hopes to achieve with advanced AI – or is it too vague?


Evaluating what AI companies say they are trying to achieve

Intro to Transformative AI

How might AI transform the world for the better?

The Promise of AI

Learn the basics of what AI is, how it's trained, and what it's capable of.

How AI systems work

Examine the forces accelerating AI development towards increasingly powerful systems

What AI systems are people building and why?

From present harms to existential threats: how concerned should we be about AI?

Intro to Transformative AI

Resources: The Promise of AI

Resources (1 hr 20 mins)