Students on a unique new course will learn sought-after leadership skills in how to responsibly manage Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI is transforming the world around us and becoming integral to our everyday lives, but it also presents a range of complex technical and ethical challenges.
The new course, offered by the University of Leeds, will equip students to answer questions about ethical use of AI, enabling them to become experts in this fast-evolving industry.
The AI Ethics and Society MSc is being developed and delivered with external partners, including local government, technology industries, creative industries and non-governmental organisations.
We are bringing together universities, communities, industries and policymakers to tackle complex challenges from all angles and drive impactful change.
Launching in September 2026, the course will focus on real-world scenarios and collaboration across disciplines and sectors to work out ethical and responsible solutions to challenges posed by AI.
Existing students have offered their insight to shape the course content, delivery style and outcomes, giving it a truly user-led design. And unlike other courses which sit within faculties, this course will be curated and taught with insights from more than ten academic disciplines.
Module topics will include:
- How do we deploy AI in different sectors, and what are the ethical considerations in different settings?
- What does AI mean for the future of democracy?
- What is the role of AI in the ‘fake news’ culture of misinformation and disinformation?
- How will we shape the rules and governance of AI?
The course is offered by the new Leeds Institute for Societal Futures, where collaborators come together to address complex challenges in society.
Sophie Bramley, Head of the Leeds Institute for Societal Futures, said: “This course is unlike anything the University has offered before.
“Universities have always educated students to have a depth of expertise in their chosen subject. But as the challenges society faces become larger and more complex, industries, employers and societies require leaders who can understand these challenges from a multitude of different perspectives.
“AI is shaping decisions in every sector, transforming the way we interact with each other, and with the world. Students will leave with a unique outlook on its ethical, social and political implications, which they can apply to many different workplaces and scenarios.”
Professor Hai-Sui Yu, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leeds, is executive lead for its two Futures Institutes. He said: “Leeds Institute of Societal Futures breathes life into the objectives of our University strategy, University Values, Global Change - combining research, education, innovation and knowledge exchange.
“The institute is enabling us to respond to the most pressing societal challenges in a way we have not done before.
“We are bringing together universities, communities, industries and policymakers to tackle complex challenges from all angles and drive impactful change. With challenge-led education programmes, we can equip our students to be collaborators, facilitators, changemakers – and leaders of the future.”
More details about the course and information about how to enrol can be found on the course page at this link.
Further information
For more information please contact Becky Pascoe in the University of Leeds press office at r.pascoe@leeds.ac.uk