Intro to AI Syllabus

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Fall, 1995

Books:

Artificial Intelligence, Elaine Rich and Kevin Knight

Common Lisp, Stuart Shapiro

Background:

AI is a field which overlaps many other disciplines, delving into the very roots of Computer Science, Philosophy, Psychology, Neurobiology, Cognitive Science, etc. Because part of the name of the field is a trait everyone believes they themselves possess, most people think that their own specialty is the central issue to AI. Sociologists, for example, will say, "How can you study intelligence without studying sociology!" For artists, it's art, for physicists, physics, etc.

Schedule:

Of course what they are all missing is that the central issue to AI is computer science (I am a computer scientist so I should know), and thus this course will be broken into five major sections:

09/05 - 09/14: LISP
09/19 - 10/05: Generic Problem Solving (Search, Heuristics, Game Playing)
10/10 - 11/07: Knowledge Representation (Logic, Rules & Expert Systems, Semantic Nets)
11/09 - 11/16: The Frame Problem
11/21 - 12/07: Learning (Genetic Algorithm, Neural Nets)

Note: Class is cancelled on 9/21, 9/28, and 11/14.

Grading:

10%: Programming Project 1   Assigned: Sept. 14, Due: Sept. 21
30%: Programming Project 2   Assigned: Sept. 26, Due: Nov. 7
15%: Take-Home Test 1        Assigned: Oct. 10,  Due: Oct. 12
15%: Take-Home Test 2        Assigned: Nov. 7,   Due: Nov. 9
15%: Written Assignment      Assigned: Nov. 16,  Due: Nov. 28
15%: Programming Project 3   Assigned: Nov. 28,  Due: Dec. 7

Collaboration on the Assignment, Projects, and Tests is permitted, however what you turn in must be your own work. Blatant copying will result in a zero grade.

The Assignment, Projects, and Tests are due in class on the dates listed, except for Project 1 which should be slipped under my office door before 5PM. The late penalty for Projects and the Assignment is 20% per day. Tests will not be accepted late.