Course Overview
In this optional course, students engage in a faculty-supervised research experience that extends their applied training in artificial intelligence through deeper theoretical investigation and advanced experimentation. Designed to be taken prior to the Capstone Project, the course allows students to refine a problem domain, examine relevant scholarly literature, and develop a research-informed approach that can support a more advanced and rigorous Capstone experience. Students work independently or in small groups under faculty guidance to formulate research questions, design and conduct systematic experiments, and analyze results using modern AI methods and tools. Emphasis is placed on contemporary topics such as foundation and large language models, agentic and multi-agent systems, advanced deep learning techniques, responsible and ethical AI, and modern evaluation and benchmarking practices. Course outcomes may include a research plan, technical report, or extended analysis suitable for further development into a publication-ready manuscript and an expanded capstone project.
Prerequisites: AAI 500 with a minimum grade of C- and AAI 501 with a minimum grade of C-; completion of at least 21 units in the MS-AAI program; permission of Academic Director.