Computer Science | Harnessing Your AI Superpower

By the end of the programme, you will:

1. Explain the fundamental mathematical concepts (like Bayes’ Theorem, distributions, uncertainty, bias-variance tradeoff) that underpin AI systems.
2. Apply probability and statistical reasoning to interpret uncertainty and risk in real-world decision-making systems.
3. Critique AI claims in the media and technical reports by analysing statistical measures like accuracy, precision, recall, and p-values.
4. Identify common technical failures like overfitting, sampling bias, and spurious correlations, and connect them to real-world ethical harms.
5. Analyse the trade-offs inherent in AI design, such as fairness vs. accuracy and sensitivity vs. specificity.
6. Critically assess the claims and impacts of AI systems in sectors like healthcare, criminal justice, and finance.
7. Ask informed questions about how an AI system works, what data it uses, what assumptions it makes, and who benefits or is harmed by its deployment.
8. Demonstrate AI literacy — the ability to critically, mathematically, and ethically engage with AI systems that influence modern life

For the hands-on capstone project, the students will step into the role of an AI analyst. Working in groups of three, they will conduct a critical audit of an assigned AI deployment. This includes: 

1. Deconstructing the claim, that is, identifying the primary function and public claims made about the AI system, analysing the data and the model.
2. Analysing the data and the model, including the potential sources of bias in the training data, assess the appropriateness of common performance metrics (like accuracy or precision), and identify risks of overfitting or false discoveries.
3. Evaluating trade-offs such as fairness, accountability, and transparency issues, considering trade-offs like fairness vs. accuracy.

The project will culminate in a professional-style audit report and a final presentation. The report will summarise their findings, highlighting potential societal impacts and providing recommendations for more ethical and reliable deployment. This project synthesises all course learning into a tangible, portfolio-worthy piece of analysis.

Ashoka Horizons Achievers Programme offers a certificate on satisfactory completion of the course. 

• Weekly Submissions – 40%
• Class participation & attendance – 20%
• Final Project & Presentation – 40%

Class participation will be assessed based on your active engagement in live sessions, contributions to discussion forums, and involvement in Teaching Fellow-led activities. 

Achieve More…with Horizons Achievers Programme:

• Successful Course Completion Certificate
• Letters of Academic Achievement to top 3 students based on exceptional performance
• Potential extended opportunity to a research project on citizen-facing AI deployments by the government – where you can contribute to government policies around AI for agriculture, health and manufacturing.*

*For select students, subject to discretion of the faculty

This programme  is administered through an online platform. Students are expected to have a foundational understanding of computer usage, including but not limited to sending emails and conducting Internet searches. Consistent access to the Internet and a computer that aligns with the recommended minimum specifications are also requisite for participation in the programme.

Have a question about Ashoka Horizons Achievers Programme? Write to us on horizons@ashoka.edu.in