Jury Deliberation in the Age of AI

Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam. Assessment based on participation and a concluding short paper (1000 words

3 classroom credits

Enrollment Limit: 36

 

     From the perspectives of jurors, trial judges, prosecutors, bail judges, arresting officers, defendants, victims, and the broader community served by jury trials, this course considers the role of human judgment and its potential displacement in our criminal justice process by AI. Could and should AI replace human judgment in any part of this process? 

      We will address this question in a rhetorical and civil discourse space of our own construction designed to engender trust among classmates within the classroom. We will make use of both digital and physical environments to cultivate an environment in which students are able to communicate freely with each other. Central to our discourse is the ideal of civil discourse. 

        By exploring deliberation both in theory and in practice, students will gain a deeper understanding of the intersection between technology and  human judgment in the criminal justice system and will become prepared to navigate the complex ethical and societal issues that AI presents.