An introduction to artificial intelligence
The Open University
Last updated August 30, 2026
An introduction to artificial intelligence asks where this technology came from and what its arrival means, rather than how to operate it. The material is split into two sections the course calls weeks, working through the historical, social, political and economic threads around AI, the opportunities it opens for modern societies, the risks it brings, and the ethical questions involved in building it. Week 1, Surrounded by AI, looks at how much of ordinary life the technology already touches; Week 2 takes its continued progress as given and asks what follows from that. It is a free Open University course, part of the OpenLearn AI Hub the OU runs with Microsoft. You can start it without signing up; a free account adds progress tracking and a free statement of participation. About six hours, self-paced.
What you'll learn
- Where AI came from: the historical, social, political and economic story around the technology
- How much of everyday life is already shaped by AI
- The benefits the technology offers modern societies, and the disruption that travels with them
- The ethical challenges involved in building AI systems
- Possible ways of responding to the risks, at the level of society rather than the individual user
Frequently asked questions about An introduction to artificial intelligence
Who is An introduction to artificial intelligence for?
Readers who want to understand AI's origins, promise and risks as a social and ethical subject — no tools, no code, and no intention of building anything.
Is An introduction to artificial intelligence free?
Yes — An introduction to artificial intelligence is completely free to take.
Why we suggest this course
Most introductory AI courses teach you to use something. This one is deliberately about understanding instead — the history behind the technology, who stands to gain and who to lose, and how to reason about the ethical problems rather than which button to press. That makes it a good companion to a hands-on tool course, and a reasonable standalone for anyone who needs to hold an informed opinion about AI with no intention of building or running anything. It closes on response rather than diagnosis: what steps might actually be taken to avoid the risks it describes.