Course Spotlight - LL214: Applied AI & Law

We sat down with Khushi, who took LL214: Applied AI & Law, to find out more about the course content and student experience. 

 

Why did you decide to attend LSE Summer School?

I chose LSE Summer School because I wanted to feel the vibrancy of a campus in the heart of London, and honestly, the feeling was beyond amazing. LSE was the right place for someone like me who is a traveller at heart and wanted to explore London while also productively using the experience to study something new. I believe LSE brings a very fresh and practical approach in the way their courses are designed as compared to the other universities in the UK, which made LSE my first choice for Summer School.

Why did you choose your course?

Artificial intelligence is a very topical technology, and I believe that it has a lot of potential for the coming years. I chose LL214 because I believed that I would learn something very relevant and gain new skills and knowledge relating to a new and evolutionary technology. Artificial intelligence is growing at such a rapid speed, which means that it needs regulation before it’s misused, and I wanted to understand more about how we can go about this. I am also someone passionate about sustainability, and through this course, one of my motives was to combine AI with sustainability to promote healthy ocean life. All of this, combined with my interest in technology law, led me to choose this course.

Tell us about an average day as a student on your course.

I was so excited to go to class every day that I would be up by 07:00 to get ready for university. Then, I took a bus/Tube from Edgware Road to Holborn (where campus is), which usually took me 30 minutes. I wasn’t living in LSE accommodation as I was staying with my family. I reached class by 09:50 and used to have my lecture from 10:00 to 13:00 every day. 3 hours seems like a long time, but the topics kept me engrossed as they were completely new to me. I used to rush for lunch on days I had a class at 14:00 but on other days, when my class was at 15:30, I used to wander around Holborn trying new food outlets. This was my favourite time of the day as I met new people, explored campus and enjoyed delicious meals. After the seminars ended, I stayed back for Spark events on most days, and then explored the mesmerising city of London with my parents.

What was your favourite part of your course?

My favourite part of the course was that it broadened my understanding of artificial intelligence. Before the course, I used to see AI as just Chat-GPT and nothing beyond it. This course showed me a whole new world of AI, which included the use of AI in predictive policing, migration and border security and, most importantly, AI in medicine. We used and tested various legal AI softwares in class and discussed how they operated, and any loopholes within the software. This gave me so many new ideas about using AI today and in the future, and why data protection is critical with the advent of AI. The course made me realise the importance of lawyers in regulating AI.

What advice would you give to students considering your course?

This is a 200-level course, which means it’s going to be rigorous, so I would advise future students to pay attention in lectures and engage actively with the topics. This will make your work for the final exam simpler, and will help you learn entirely new concepts. Know that you are going to have people from different backgrounds in class who might be way more experienced in the field. Keep a very open mind when you go to class and engage in meaningful conversations so you can learn from people’s expertise. In my class, I had both lawyers and people from tech backgrounds pursuing the course, which made us look at problems and solutions from all perspectives.

What are your short-term professional goals, and how does your course contribute to these goals?

I aim to pursue a career in corporate law, where technology law is an important area, especially with more and more businesses developing around AI. The course will likely help me in achieving that because I have had international exposure to how things work. The course also helped me in building connections with professors and students at LSE to hopefully open doors in the future.

Was meeting and talking to other students on your course easy?

Yes, meeting and talking to other students on my course was easy, and I would highly recommend you interact with your classmates as they are going to be your friends throughout life. I am someone who has always been social, but even if you are not, it won’t be very difficult to network as everyone has come to the Summer School with the hopes of connecting with others. There is a high chance that your classmates will approach you for an introduction or coffee. As an ice-breaker, if someone approaches you, you can talk about the following topics – what made you choose the course? Are you liking LSE? Have you gone to ---- (a particular spot in London), etc. Topics that both of you can connect with, irrespective of your nationality. You will also make friends when you have seminars, and you will be divided into groups every day to discuss course content and debates. Remember, everyone is as nervous as you, and there’s no harm in saying hi.

What would be your top tip for future Summer School students?

My top tip for future Summer School students at LSE is to try and find ways to balance study, networking and exploring London – this way, you will get the most out of your experience. It’s LSE, and you don’t know when and if you will be here again, so meet amazing people and explore every corner of the campus. Take photos, walk as much as possible and talk to random people asking about their experience at LSE. I used to randomly walk into places on campus and ask people what that office/department was all about. Trust me, you’re going to regret not networking, so make sure you have conversations, even if sometimes it gets awkward.

How did you find the course and teaching experience at LSE?

The course and teaching experience were amazing and insightful. My lecturers were highly qualified in their respective fields and knew both the practical and theoretical side of things. My class teachers were cooperative and helped in the reinforcement of the topics taught in the lectures, which allowed us to clarify the details. I also connected with faculty outside my course to talk about topics of interest like corporate law, sustainability, & environmental law. You can find faculty on the LSE website and further explore your field of study by fixing an office hour with them.

How did you find the British teaching style?

The British teaching style worked very smoothly for me because my home university had a very similar teaching system. You are given a couple of readings to do at home and then come to lectures, where you are taught about the same topic. These readings also help you frame and support your answers when you’re writing your final exam. We also had to submit an academic essay every weekend; the first one was unmarked, and the second essay was marked. The entire course required a lot of writing, so make sure you are prepared for that. Overall, it’s a great teaching system where concepts taught in lectures are also reinforced in seminars, and the essays that you write depict your opinion about an issue with support from readings.

 

This interview was written by one of our 2024 students, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the Summer School experience at LSE.