Oxford

Artificial
Intelligence
Programme
Investigate the potential of artificial intelligence and its
implications for your business.
About this programme
Artificial intelligence is an exciting and highly debated technology that offers transformative potential
across all sectors of the economy. It’s a pervasive and general-purpose technology that has already
spawned many disruptive and incremental innovations, fuelling what often are inflated expectations
of what this technology is capable of now and in the future.

At the same time, the growing applications of AI also means society is increasingly becoming aware
of the challenges inherent in this technology, and how AI is starting to change the future of work across
occupations. In order to understand AI and its true potential – what it can do and what it cannot do –
people need to understand how the technology works. The Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme
therefore aims to provide you with a sound understanding of the technology: its history, functionality
and capability, as well as the limitations that are inherent in its methods.

On completion of this programme you will have developed an informed opinion about the possibilities AI
holds, and be able to reflect on its implications. Through exposure to empirical research and real-life case
studies, you will consider the potential presented by AI, and will be able to make an informed decision
around its application.

What the programme covers

The programme provides you with diverse £2,650
insights and perspectives on the ethical, legal
and social considerations around AI in order
to critically appraise AI technologies. It also
introduces you to the mechanics involving AI. 6 weeks
While you won’t be expected to code, you excluding orientation
will still get the opportunity to learn about
the technology and develop a foundational
understanding of how it works. Ultimately, you 7–10 hours/week of self-paced
will assess all the opinions surrounding AI and learning, entirely online
then be encouraged to make up your own mind
about the potential of the technology in your
Each module is released weekly, allowing a flexible but structured
organisation and society as a whole. approach to learning. You’ll be supported as you engage in individual
activities and group discussions, ensuring you feel confident to
submit your best work at each weekly deadline.

Global business value derived from artificial intelligence is

projected to total $3.8 trillion in 2022.

Forbes, (Apr, 2018)

OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME

This programme is for you if:
You want to explore the possibilities of AI application in your organisation and build
a business case for its implementation.

You want to develop a sound understanding of the technology: its history, functionality
and potential, as well as its limitations.

You want to formalise your AI knowledge with a certificate of attendance from Saïd
Business School, University of Oxford.

Who should take this programme?

This programme is designed for management and business leaders across multiple functions and
industries looking to understand the possibilities of AI. It’s also applicable for technical working
professionals such as CIOs, IT managers, and business analysts looking to better understand how
artificial intelligence can be implemented within their organisations. This programme aims to bridge
the gap between business and technology.

AI is a fascinating technology that is entering

every aspect of our work and daily lives.
It improves existing products and processes,
and also fosters disruptive innovation. We need
to embrace it, while also defining its legal
and ethical boundaries within our
organisations, and society as a whole.

– Professor Matthias Holweg, Programme Convenor

OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME

What you will learn WHAT IS OXFORD?
This online programme integrates rich, interactive media such
as videos, infographics, and quizzes as well as traditional Find out more about
didactic components such as written study guides (programme OXFORD
notes). There are also opportunities for collaborative learning UNIVERSITY
through discussion forums. The following modules contribute
to the holistic approach your learning path takes:

ORIENTATION MODULE
Welcome to your Online Campus
You’ll be welcomed with a personal call and get introduced
to your online teaching and technical support network. Begin
connecting with fellow participants while exploring the
navigation and tools of your Online Campus. Be alerted to key
milestones in the learning path, and review how your results
will be calculated and distributed.

You’ll be required to complete your participant profile, confirm

your certificate delivery address, and submit a digital copy of
your passport/identity document.

MODULE 1
Artificial intelligence: what is all the hype about?
Explore the history and potential of AI within the context of
the digital ecosystem. By the end of this module you will
deduce the potential trajectory of AI in your organisation or an
organisation of your choice from the analysis of the history and
case examples of artificial intelligence.

MODULE 2
AI’s engine room: how do machines learn
from data?
Delve into the mechanics of the three main types of machine
learning: supervised, reinforcement, and unsupervised
learning. By the end of this module you will judge the machine
learning workflows for supervised, unsupervised, and
reinforcement learning.

OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME

 MODULE 3
Current frontiers: deep learning and the latest WHAT IS OXFORD SAID?
trends in AI
Understand what deep learning is and how it is powering the Find out more about
modern approach to AI. By the end of this module you will SAID BUSINESS
assess the mechanics of machine learning algorithms, such as SCHOOL
neural networks.

MODULE 4
Working with intelligent machines
Explore the concept of intelligence in machines and the impact
of AI in the labour market. By the end of this module you will
justify which areas in the sector or profession of your choice
have the greatest potential to be impacted by AI applications.

MODULE 5
Setting the boundaries of AI
Explore the hierarchy of ethical and legal considerations
around AI. By the end of this module you will draft the ethical
principles that your organisation or an organisation of your
choice should instil for its AI applications.

MODULE 6
Making a business case for AI
Identify the potential business opportunity of AI in a specific
context. Develop a business case for the application of AI in
your organisation or an organisation of your choice.

OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME

Your programme experts
Your Programme Convenor
Subject matter experts from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford guide the programme design
and appear in a number of programme videos, along with a variety of industry professionals.

Matthias Holweg
American Standard Companies Professor of Operations Management at Saïd Business School,
University of Oxford

Holweg is an industrial engineer by training and is interested in how organisations

generate and sustain process improvement practices. His research focuses on the evolution and
adaption of process improvement methodologies as they are being applied across manufacturing,
service, office and public sector contexts. His award-winning papers on the genealogy of lean
production and the evolution of lean thinking philosophy are among the most widely cited works in
the field. Together with John Bicheno, he is also co-author of ‘The Lean Toolbox’, a practitioner guide
to lean transformation that has sold more than 100,000 copies across five editions and is available in
English, Danish, Swedish and Chinese.

More recently, Holweg has started working on digital operations, and in particular the economics of
additive manufacturing (3D printing), in order to determine how to use this set of new technologies
to generate competitive advantage. He is particularly interested in identifying the role that digital
manufacturing will play in supporting process improvement, reshaping product offerings, and changing
the nature of competition. He also leads the Digitally Empowered Enterprise Lab at Oxford Saïd,
which brings together the many strands of research within the School related to the digital transformation.

Your Success Team

Head Facilitator Success Manager Global Success Team

A subject expert Your one-on-one support available Available 24/7 to solve
who’ll guide you during University hours (8am - 5pm your tech-related and
through content UTC/GMT +1) to resolve technical administrative queries
-related challenges and administrative challenges and concerns

OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME

A powerful collaboration
Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford is collaborating with online education provider,
GetSmarter, to create a new class of learning experience — one that is immersive, collaborative, and
designed for optimal accessibility to the busy working professional.

About Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Saïd Business School blends the best of new and old. Deeply embedded in an 800-year-old world-class
University,1 Oxford Saïd strives to educate people for successful business careers. As a community,
Oxford Saïd seeks to use business acumen and global networks to address long-horizon phenomena
like demographic change, new technologies and natural resource scarcity. Saïd Business School is
committed to delivering cutting-edge education and ground-breaking research that transforms individuals,
organisations, business practice and society.

About GetSmarter
GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc., is a digital education company that partners with the world’s leading
universities to select, design and deliver premium online short courses with a data-driven focus on learning
gain.

Technology meets academic rigour in our people-mediated model which enables lifelong learners across the
globe to obtain industry-relevant skills that are certified by the world’s most reputable academic institutions.
 

Certificate
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
certificate of attendance
Upon successful completion of the programme, you’ll receive a
certificate of attendance from Oxford Saïd as powerful proof of
the enhanced skills and thinking abilities you’ve developed.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical

assignments completed online. In order to be issued with
a Saïd Business School, University of Oxford certificate of
attendance you will need to meet the requirements outlined
in the programme handbook. The handbook will be made
available to you as soon as you begin the programme.

Your certificate of attendance will be issued in your legal name

and couriered to you at no additional cost. All certificate images
are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change
at the discretion of the University. 

1
Oxford University (Jan, 2019)

OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME

How you’ll learn
Every programme is broken down into
manageable, weekly modules, designed to
accelerate your learning process through diverse
learning activities:
• Work through your downloadable and online
instructional material
• Interact with your peers and tutors through
weekly class-wide forums and graded small
group discussions
• Enjoy a wide range of interactive content,
including video lectures, infographics, live
polls, and more
• Investigate rich, real-world case studies
• Apply what you learn each week, culminating
in a business case for the application of AI in
your organisation or an organisation of your
choice
Technical Requirements
Basic requirements
In order to complete a programme, you’ll need a
current email account and access to a computer
and the internet, as well as a PDF Reader.
You may need to view Microsoft PowerPoint
presentations, and read and create documents in
Microsoft Word or Excel.
OXFORD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMME
Installing Adobe Flash Player will give you full
access to certain programme content, such as
interactive infographics. However, you’ll still
have access to this content in the form of a
downloadable PDF transcript if you’d prefer not to
use Flash.
Browser requirements
We recommend that you use Google Chrome
as your internet browser when accessing
the Online Campus. Although this is not a
requirement, we have found that this browser
performs best for ease of access to programme
material. This browser can be downloaded here.
Additional requirements
Certain programmes may require additional
software and resources. These additional
software and resource requirements will be
communicated to you upon registration and/or
at the beginning of the programme. Please note
that Google, Vimeo, and YouTube may be used
in our programme delivery, and if these services
are blocked in your jurisdiction, you may have
difficulty in accessing programme content. Please
check with a Course Consultant before registering
for this programme if you have any concerns
about this affecting your experience with the
Online Campus.
Oxford Artificial
Intelligence
Programme
Investigate the potential of artificial intelligence
and its implications for your business.

REGISTER NOW

CONTACT US
UK: +44 1865 950 945 | GLOBAL: +44 2038 236 998
EMAIL: oxfordonline@getsmarter.com