Patrick J. Burns

Associate Research Scholar, Digital Projects @ Institute for the Study of the Ancient World / NYU | Formerly Culture Cognition, and Coevolution Lab (Harvard) & Quantitative Criticism Lab (UT-Austin) | Fordham PhD, Classics | LatinCy developer

Generating Antiquity: Artificial Intelligence for the Ancient World

Co-taught with Sebastian Heath at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW-GA 3003), Spring 2024. This course met 1 time per week in a 3-hour block.

Course Description

This course will be an open-ended exploration of the impact of recent advances in Generative Artificial Intelligence (gAI) and their implications for research and teaching focussed on the Ancient World. That gAI tools can respond to prompts has proven to be a compelling form of human-computer interaction. The course pushes further, beginning with an introduction to how the underlying technologies of chatbots and image generation tools work and accordingly positioning students to be both critical and realistic about what these tools can do. All students will have the opportunity to engage with Large Language Models (LLMs) and Image Generation tools from a programmatic perspective using the Python programming language. We will also make use of NYU’s infrastructure for High Performance Computing (HPC). There are no technical prerequisites for the course beyond a willingness to try the approaches introduced in class. We also welcome students with technical expertise who want to apply that to the Ancient World. Throughout the semester, students will be exposed to particular use-cases for gAI as well as to critical readings. The goal is not to promote gAI but rather to think about it: there are actual downsides and barriers - including cost, perpetuation of bias, threats to intellectual property, and environmental impact - and we will consider those alongside any potential benefits. Towards the end of the course students will undertake their own final project that should incorporate both hands-on work as well as informed critical discussion. We are open to projects that are predominantly written papers and to projects that are predominantly in the form of applied work, though again, all projects should exhibit an element of both. Creativity will be encouraged as a path to exploring to what extent the development of gAI tools might lead to fundamental change in scholarly practice. In addition to the final project, students will be expected to respond to the weekly readings and to complete smaller assignments - including coding assignments - throughout the term that allow them to build their familiarity and skills with gAI tools.