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Artificial Intelligence Research Ethical, Visionary, and Transformative

Innovative research to benefit humanity

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world, revolutionizing industries from finance to healthcare, and reshaping how we interact with technology on a daily basis. As AI evolves, its applications and implications become increasingly significant in all aspects of our lives, prompting critical discussions around its ethical use and societal impact.Ěý

At American University’s College of Arts and Sciences, we are working at the forefront of research to better understand not only the technological advancements of AI but also the profound ethical questions they raise. By investigating the issues and ethics of AI, we aim to foster a responsible and informed approach to this powerful technology. Our commitment to cutting-edge AI research ensures we harness its power for the good of society, driving innovation that benefits all of humanity.

The Hedayat Fund for Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Dean Linda Aldoory and CAS board member Hamoon Hedayat.

A generous gift from Hamoon Hedayat and Nancy Hedayat makes them the first individuals to establish a fund dedicated to artificial intelligence research at AU. The Hedayat Fund will jumpstart the College’s vision for an interdisciplinary hub for generative AI scholarship.

The fund will support the the College’s growing capacity for research, education, and partnerships focused on responsible generative artificial intelligence, as well as advancements in cross-disciplinary key areas of impact, including:

  • Digital and AI ethics
  • Data privacy and security
  • Government policy Ěý
  • Environmental and biomedical advances
  • Public education on AI tools.


News and Highlights

News headline reads 'Fake News.' Image created with generative AI

AI DebunkBot Effectively Persuades People from Believing Conspiracy Theories

An interview with DebunkBot creator and AU Psychology Professor Thomas Costello
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Spidey, AU’s very first AI robot

AI Spider Robot Makes Debut at American University

Aref Zahed launches AI robot that can move, speak, recognize faces, and answer questions using ChatGPT technology
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Will Human Writing Survive in an Era of Generative AI?

“Who Wrote This?” by renowned linguist Naomi S. Baron examines the promise and peril of writing in the AI age
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To the Point

What Is the Future of ChatGPT, and Could It Be a Threat to Civilization?

Economist and statistician Nimai Mehta answers our question of the week 
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Curricula

Computer Science

  • CSC-468/668: Artificial Intelligence
  • CSC-476/676: Computer Vision
  • CSC-480/680: Data Mining
  • CSC-481/681: Machine Learning for Cybersecurity
  • CSC-483/683: Big Data Computing and Machine Learning
  • CSC-486/686: Deep Learning in Vision
  • CSC-496/696 (Fall 2024 special topics): Natural Language Processing/Text As Data
  • CSC-496/696 (Spring 2025 special topics): Applications of Generative AI

Statistics and Data Science

  • STAT-427/627: Statistical Machine Learning
  • DATA-441/641: Applied Natural Language Processing
  • DATA-445/645: Neural Networks and Deep Learning
  • DATA-442/642: Advanced Machine Learning

Other departments

  • ECON-450/650: Growing Artificial Societies
  • JLC-660: Emerging Tech for Non-Technical Policymakers
  • FIN-666: Advanced Quantitative Methods and Machine Learning in Finance
  • SIS-724/ITEC-724: Advanced Text Analytics with AI and Machine Learning

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For More Information

Stay tuned for more updates as we develop this exciting new hub for generative AI research and education at the College of Arts and Sciences! For more information about donating and becoming a partner in this exciting effort, please contact Michael Scott at mjscott@american.edu.