S. The Law of Artificial Intelligence

Course Information

Course Number
L9992
Curriculum Level
Upperclass
Areas of Study
Administrative Law and Public Policy, Intellectual Property and Technology, Interdisciplinary Legal Studies, International and Comparative Law, Legal Profession and Professional Responsibility, National Security and Privacy
Type
Seminar
Additional Attributes
New Course

Section 001 Information

Instructor

Section Description

This interdisciplinary seminar equips students to navigate AI's legal and policy challenges through technical literacy. Students will learn how neural networks, transformers, GPUs, and large language models actually work—covering training processes, agents, and system architectures—then apply that knowledge to pressing legal issues: algorithmic bias and discrimination, liability for autonomous decision-making, data and intellectual property rights, due process concerns, and national security implications. By pairing accessible technical tutorials with legal doctrine and policy analysis, the course will enable students to develop a fluency in how AI's technical particulars shape fundamental questions of duty of care, ownership, human rights, and regulatory design. Students will leave prepared to analyze emerging AI cases and policy debates with both legal rigor and technical grounding.

School Year & Semester
Spring 2026
Points
2
Method of Evaluation
Paper
J.D Writing Credit?
Minor (upon consultation)
Major (only upon consultation)
LLM Writing Project
Upon consultation

Learning Outcomes

Primary
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in a specific body of law, including major policy concerns
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in doctrinal analysis, including close reading of cases and precedents, and application to facts
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in statutory and regulatory analysis, including close reading of statutes and regulations, and application to facts
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in use of other disciplines in the analysis of legal problems and institutions, e.g., philosophy; economics,other social sciences; and cultural studies
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in ethical and professional issues

Course Limitations

Instructor Pre-requisites
None
Instructor Co-Requisites
None
Requires Permission
No
Recommended Courses
None
Other Limitations
None