Minor in Artificial Intelligence, Crime and Society
Explore how technology and society shape each other
The Minor in Artificial Intelligence, Crime and Society at the University at Buffalo examines how AI technologies influence and are influenced by social, economic, political and cultural forces. You will explore how data, algorithms and automated decision-making systems connect to power, inequality and justice.
This interdisciplinary minor is ideal for students interested in technology, ethics, policy and social impact.
This interdisciplinary minor brings together sociology and artificial intelligence to help you understand how technology operates within real-world institutions and communities.
You will examine how AI intersects with areas such as law, criminal justice, public policy and social services while developing skills in research, ethical reasoning and critical analysis.
AI increasingly influences decisions that affect people’s lives. Understanding the technology is important, but so is understanding the social systems in which it operates.
Through this minor, you will explore:
- How AI technologies are used within crime and justice systems
- How bias and inequality can be reflected in technological systems
- Questions of fairness, accountability and power
- The broader social consequences of emerging technologies
You will build analytical, research and critical thinking skills that can strengthen preparation for careers and graduate study across many fields.
Who this minor is for
This minor is a strong fit if you:
- Want to understand how AI affects law, policy and social institutions
- Are interested in bias, fairness and accountability in technology
- Plan to work in technology, law, public policy, advocacy or related fields
- Want to add a social perspective to a technical or data-focused major
Students in computer science, engineering, sociology, criminology, political science and business may find this minor especially useful for broadening their perspective on the impact of AI.
Your coursework combines sociology and artificial intelligence to examine technology from both technical and social perspectives.
You will build foundations in:
- Sociology and the study of social institutions
- Inequality, power and social systems
- Artificial intelligence and ethics
- Crime, justice and public policy
- The social consequences of emerging technologies
The curriculum is designed to help you connect ideas across disciplines and evaluate how digital systems operate within real-world institutions.
If you want to understand not only what artificial intelligence can do, but also how it shapes people, institutions and society, this minor offers a timely interdisciplinary path.
Already a UB student?
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