This course will be held in 2024.

Info

Dates: 26th August – 6th September 2024
Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Siegfried Handschuh
Course type: Compulsory Optional Subject (Summer School)
Related degree levels and programs: BA/MA; BA/MA in Information Science; BA/MA in Digital Business Management
Workload: 120 hours
Credits: 4 ECTS
Course abbreviation: AIC

Prof. Dr. Siegfried Handschuh

Prof. Dr. Siegfried Handschuh is a Full Professor of Data Science and Natural Language Processing at the Institute of Computer Science at the University of St. Gallen. With a background in computer science from the University of Ulm and information science from the University of Konstanz, Prof. Handschuh earned his PhD from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, where his thesis was conducted in collaboration with Stanford University as part of the DARPA DAML project. After completing his PhD, Prof. Handschuh spent eight years leading the Knowledge Discovery Unit at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics in Galway, Ireland. During this time, he collaborated with several multinational companies and was an active participant in the Digital Aristotle project, which was backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Since 2018, Prof. Handschuh has been based in Switzerland, where his research focuses on generative AI and Large Language Models. With his wealth of experience and expertise, he is well-equipped to guide students in their studies of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI Chatbots in particular.

Synopsis

In this course, you will learn the basics of chatbots and how they work with artificial intelligence. You will understand how chatbots can have and understand human-like conversations and how they are used in different industries.

Course goal / Guiding idea

Upon successful completion of the course students will be able to:

Knowledge

The students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of chatbots and the various techniques used to train them with AI. They will learn how natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms are used to enable chatbots to understand and respond to human requests and commands.

Skills

Students will be able choose and apply chatbots to different use-cases and industries, including customer service, e-commerce, and health, and the unique challenges and opportunities that arise in each of these areas. They will also master the art of Prompting. Prompting refers to the use of specific questions, statements or examples to initate a certain task execution of the AI.

Competencies

The course qualifies students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems in the field of AI-based chatbots. They will be prepared to design and develop chatbots that are functional, user-friendly, and capable of addressing the unique challenges and opportunities that arise in different applications. Students will be well-equipped to succeed in this rapidly evolving field.

Course content

  • Introduction to Chatbots
  • Introduction to AI
  • Introduction to Natural Language Processing (NLP)
  • Chatbot Design and Development
  • Applications
  • The Art of Prompting
  • One-shot and Few-shot Learning
  • Ethics and Social Implications
  • Project-Based Learning

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding of Chatbots
  • Understanding of AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP)
  • Understanding of Applications
  • The Art of Prompting

Course readings

Course schedule and location

New campus, Lecture room 107 (F. Tudmana 24i, 23000, Zadar)

Course schedule: from 9:00 to 16:00.