We Are AI: Taking Control of Technology

TL;DR

This paper presents a public education course called 'We are AI' designed to increase awareness and understanding of Responsible AI among the general public, using engaging materials like a multilingual comic book.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, publicly available educational program on Responsible AI, developed through an iterative process and tested with diverse audiences, including university staff.

Findings

Successful engagement with librarians and university staff

Course materials are publicly accessible and adaptable

Identified areas for improvement in public AI education

Abstract

Responsible AI (RAI) is the science and practice of ensuring the design, development, use, and oversight of AI are socially sustainable--benefiting diverse stakeholders while controlling the risks. Achieving this goal requires active engagement and participation from the broader public. This paper introduces "We are AI: Taking Control of Technology," a public education course that brings the topics of AI and RAI to the general audience in a peer-learning setting. We outline the goals behind the course's development, discuss the multi-year iterative process that shaped its creation, and summarize its content. We also discuss two offerings of We are AI to an active and engaged group of librarians and professional staff at New York University, highlighting successes and areas for improvement. The course materials, including a multilingual comic book series by the same name, are publicly available and can be used independently. By sharing our experience in creating and teaching We are AI, we aim to introduce these resources to the community of AI educators, researchers, and practitioners, supporting their public education efforts.