F821Z Spring 2024 Beyond AI: Other Technology Challenges and Opportunities

F821Z  Beyond AI: Other Technology Challenges and Opportunities
Mondays, 2:15—3:40, Apr. 29—May 13
Three sessions
Instructor: Stephen Ruth
Looking for some technology topics that do not include artificial intelligence? How about 70 of them, starting off with 3D printing; biometrics; blockchain; bots; censorship; CFAA; crowdsourcing; cryptojacking; cryptocurrency/digital currency; cyberthreats/security; and in the middle, net neutrality; neurotechnology; phishing; predictive analytics; privacy and the Dobbs decision; quantum computing; ransomware; recidivism; revenge porn; right to be forgotten; robotics; satellite cybersecurity; Section 230 of the Communications Act; plus at the end, technology and voting fraud; telecommuting; virtual reality; augmented reality; utility grid vulnerability; wearable technology. Professor Stephen Ruth offers his Mason students the option of selecting six topics from the full list as part of a required individual “technology portfolio” in his GMU graduate course. OLLI students can collectively select their own favorites—we will cover late breaking stories and of course policy challenges associated with each one. There will be plenty of time for discussion and no technology background is expected.
Stephen Ruth is a professor of Public Policy at GMU, specializing in technology issues associated with globalization. He is also the director of the International Center for Applied Studies in Information Technology, an IT research group. He teaches a popular graduate elective course about the challenges and opportunities of dozens of applications. He has taught a large number of classes for OLLI Mason on a variety of topics.