Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Governance, and Laws
Harvard Extension School
CSCI E-184
Section 1
CRN 26606
Data science and artificial intelligence (AI) are creating new opportunities to improve businesses' decision-making, productivity, and competitiveness. However, data science and AI also create ethical and privacy concerns. For example, a classification algorithm can harm a subcategory of the population due to bias in the data used to develop and train the model. Data scientists and AI engineers often learn the concepts, tools, and techniques and then start to collect data and develop machine learning algorithms without realizing the unintended consequences of their data products. What obligation do data scientists and AI engineers have to be guardians of the data they collect and analyze? How do we ensure data and AI products' fairness, interpretability, privacy, and security? This course focuses on ethics, governance, and laws specifically related to data science and AI. This course aims to provide a framework to help students understand the value tradeoffs at stake as they collect data, develop algorithms, and deal with some of the consequences. We use case studies, examples, and simulations to facilitate learning, critical thinking, debates, decision-making, and problem solving in the context of data science, AI ethics, and governance.
Registration Closes: January 22, 2026
Credits: 4
View Tuition Information Term
Spring Term 2026
Part of Term
Full Term
Format
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Credit Status
Graduate, Noncredit, Undergraduate
Section Status
Open