Artificial intelligence prompt completion by dalle mini.jpg
Neural net completion for "artificial intelligence", as done by DALL-E mini hosted on HuggingFace, 4 June 2022 (code under Apache 2.0 license). Upscaled with Real-ESRGAN "Anime" upscaling version

Artificial Intelligence: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

6-weeks | Unavailable

3/14/2025-4/25/2025
1:45 PM-3:00 PM EST on Fri

Artificial Intelligence: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

6-weeks | Unavailable

In reviewing the most common AI applications, we'll examine AI development history
over the last 80 years and describe AI’s main approaches/models (rules-based
systems, machine learning, Deep-Neural-Network, Conditional Probability.) We'll
consider copyright infringement, generated bias and the rush to secure the large data
sets required for training Deep-Neural-Network models. We will discuss how AI
applications can provide benefits or be detrimental on both a personal and a societal
level (e.g. job restructuring; fake news), and how these applications need wise
regulations. We will have a look at the future of AI and the prospect of more advanced
artificial general intelligence. We’ll consider the most common applications: ChatGPT;
Dall-2/3; Image/face recognition; self-driving cars; warehousing and manufacturing
robots; personal assistants/companions; purchases, books and movie
recommendations.
Some of the questions to be raised in the class include:
How does Deep-Neural-Network compare with the human brain?
How original, accurate and bias-free are ChatGPT outputs?
How do we differentiate ourselves from our "silicon" counterparts?
Could AI develop consciousness?
Artificial General Intelligence—where is it leading us?

  • Recommended Materials:
    - Machines that Think – Toby Walsh (2018)
    - A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence – What It Is, Where We Are and Where We
    Are Going Michael Wooldridge (2020)
    - Artificial Intelligence – A Guide for Thinking Humans – Melanie Mitchell (2019)
    - The Age of AI and Our Human Future - Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Daniel 
    Huttenlocher 2021
Fouere, Jean-Claude
Jean-Claude Fouere

Jean-Claude Fouere holds advanced degrees in Physics Engineering (I.N.S.A. Lyon, France) and Optical Systems Design (U. of Rochester, NY). He has 20 years experience as an engineer/engineering manager (astronomical, instrumentation, laser printers, optical recording, photolithography) and 20 years in development/marketing/sales of equipment used in manufacturing of semiconductor chips. He is an adjunct professor of International Marketing at Marist College and has served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations (Adirondack Mountain Club; Light Up the World). He is currently a volunteer at Dutchess Outreach, an active member of the Mid-Hudson Valley World Affairs Council and a mentor at SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives). With his wife Georgette, he enjoys outdoor activities throughout the seasons (hiking, x-country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming).