This fall, there will be opportunities for students and Postdocs to take classes covering the latest advances in generative AI. For undergraduates, as part of the Future of Learning and Generative AI Initiative, undergraduates will be able to register for DS 3891 Introduction to Generative Artificial Intelligence. This course introduces the theory and use of these models, including prompt engineering, the building of agents and bots, and the basics of the architecture and training of transformer models. Students will explore the fundamental concepts, techniques, and algorithms used to create generative AI systems, such as deep learning and attentional mechanisms. Through a combination of interactive lectures, hands-on exercises, and projects, students will gain practical experience in designing, training, and evaluating generative AI models for various tasks. Professors Jules White, Jesse Spencer-Smith, and Doug Schmidt will be the instructors for the class.
Graduate students and Postdocs (and advanced undergraduates) can register for DS 5690 Transformers in Theory and Practice, which will cover the models on which generative AI rests – transformers. In this course, we’ll cover the transformer algorithms, training, prompt engineering, and AI frameworks. Students will have the opportunity learn and use the latest technology in projects of their choosing. The goal of the project is to empower students to be able apply AI in their work and research, and to be able to develop novel architectures and approaches if they desire. Faculty that are particularly interested in specific topics are welcome to drop in, and can reach out to the instructor for the course schedule (jesse.spencer-smith@vanderbilt.edu).