Generative AI has huge potential to affect thought, creativity, and communication, the natural environment, economic and political systems, and social justice and human interactions, but that potential exists alongside substantial risks.
Together with concerns about environmental impact, workforce transformation, surveillance, intellectual property, and the non-consensual use of personal data, how AI is adopted, the controls we put in place, and how quickly we can adapt will determine not only the benefits but also how disruptive this period of change will be.
Students presenting their work at the Fall 2025 Demarais Family Summit
Achieving AI's potential to add to our prosperity, productivity, and quality of life will require human creativity and ideas as well as ethical, political, economic, and environmental reflection.
Join fellow students from across campus to explore these critical questions through interdisciplinary collaboration and project-based learning. Working with colleagues from other faculties, you will develop projects that engage with the evolving relationship between AI, technology, and society while developing innovative ideas for a more equitable, creative, and human-centred future.
This course will meet twice a week in person. The emphasis is on innovative and collaborative problem-solving with interdisciplinary teams of students, and it will culminate in the 2026 Desmarais Family Summit, where students will share their findings with the UWaterloo community and beyond.
Why enrol?
- Solve Real Problems: Move beyond theory to explore the potential and limitations of AI in real-world problem solving.
- Bridge Disciplines: Collaborate with a diverse group of students from every faculty across campus.
- Impact the Future: Confront critical issues facing society and the possibilities and pitfalls of AI in designing solutions
- Meet interesting People in and Outside of Class: In addition to collaborating with students and faculty across campus, meet and network with individuals working in private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.
- Develop Transferable Skills: project management, design-thinking, communications to diverse audiences, stakeholder engagement
Enrollment Details
- Format: In-person sessions Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.
- Eligibility: Open to students from all faculties and majors.
- This is a graded course.
- Sign up through Quest or talk to your academic advisor.
Events
Public Talk: A Painted Pony Called AI
Dr. Caroline Running Wolf draws on the historical introduction of the horse to Indigenous communities as a powerful metaphor for the future of artificial intelligence. This talk offers a compelling perspective on AI governance, cultural preservation, and the importance of community-led innovation.
Public Talk: Building for Ourselves: Including Human Aging in the Age of AI
Dr. Jennifer Boger challenges us to consider a population that AI often overlooks: older adults. Through practical examples and candid discussion, Jennifer will highlight why inclusive design is no longer optional but essential as AI becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives.
Public Talk: The Misdirected Moderation Paradox
Olivia DeRamus challenges us to reconsider how AI is being used to keep people safe online. Despite billions of dollars invested in content moderation, today's platforms often amplify misogynistic and radicalizing content while suppressing the women and survivors attempting to share their own experiences.