DC Grand Challenge Seminar - Authorship at Work:The Human Voice in the Age of AI

9 units · Undergraduate

Intermittent: 9 units As generative AI reshapes how we write, create, learn, and communicate, new questions emerge about authorship, responsibility, and what it means to speak in a distinctly human voice. When AI can imitate human expression, generate ideas, and communicate with increasing fluency, how do we decide what counts as authentic communication, trustworthy knowledge, or ethical decision making? This course explores these challenges through the interdisciplinary lenses of rhetoric, ethics, technology, and professional communication. Students will examine how AI is transforming communication, creativity, and decision making in schools, workplaces, and public life. Drawing from the humanities, communication studies, and technology ethics, the course asks: What happens when systems designed to predict language begin shaping how humans think, write, and relate to one another? How should organizations balance efficiency with ethical responsibility when using AI tools? Who is accountable when AI-generated communication causes harm, spreads bias, or erodes trust? Along the way, students will engage with contemporary debates about authorship, accountability, human judgment, and the future of communication in an AI-driven world.