Course Description
Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT have opened up exciting new possibilities for how humans interact with AI. Beyond chatbots, LLMs are now being used to build AI agents: systems that can interpret instructions, take actions, and perform concrete tasks across a range of applications. Have you ever wondered how these AI agents work under the hood, how to build your own, or how to apply them meaningfully to real-world problems? This research seminar course explores the design, development, and study of interactive AI systems, situated within the broader field of human-computer interaction (HCI).
Students will begin by gaining foundational knowledge of how modern AI agents, especially those powered by LLMs, are constructed and deployed. Topics will include foundations of LLMs, prompt engineering, AI tool use, reasoning and planning, and grounding in user context. From there, the course will examine real-world applications of AI agents, including programming, creative collaboration, tutoring, assistive technologies, AR/VR, and more.
The course will be conducted in seminar format, combining instructor-led lectures, guest talks, and student-led paper presentations on cutting-edge research in human-AI interaction. Students will also complete a final project (individually or in teams) to design and implement their own interactive AI agent.
In addition to technical content, this course introduces students to the fundamentals of conducting research in HCI and AI: how to form a research question, identify related work, design and evaluate a research prototype, and communicate findings. Students will gain experience with reading and critiquing academic papers, leading discussions, and conducting exploratory research.
Prerequisite
For undergrad student, completion of at least one of CS 440, CS 480, CS 505, or CS 532, with a grade of B+ or higher is required, or permission from the instructor.
For MS or PhD student, your academic background is assumed to be sufficient to enroll directly.
Logistics
Location: CDS 801
Time: Thursday 3:30PM - 6:15PM
Grading:
- Class Attendence (10%)
- Paper Presentation (10%*2=20%)
- Project Proposal (20%)
- Final Project (50%)