CSC 384
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Professor Alice Gao
Fall 2023
Outline
1. Introductions
2. CSC 384 Topics
3. Course Administration
4. Reciprocal Interviews
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Introductions
Professor, Professor Gao, or Alice
Faculty @ UofT
Faculty @ UWaterloo
Postdoc @ UBC
PhD @ Harvard
Research Internships
@UK & @NYC
Undergrad @ UBC
Co-op jobs @Vancouver
& @Toronto
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Beijing, China
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Professor Alice Gao
My 23-24 year at a glance:
• CSC384 Intro to AI
• CSC311 Intro to ML
• TA Coordinator
• CS Education Research
• Procrastination
• Outreach & Recruiting
Hobbies:
• Board games
• Rock climbing
• Hiking
• Traveling
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Meet Your Peers!
• In the next 2 minutes, introduce yourself
• to someone you don’t know.
• Talk about courses, internship, dorms, extracurricular
activities, graduation, jobs, etc.
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CSC384 TOPICS
CSC 384 Topics
1. Search
• Basic search algorithm, heuristics, pruning
2. Game Tree Search
• Minimax search, heuristics, alpha-beta pruning
3. Constraint Satisfaction Problems
• Backtracking search, heuristics, arc consistency
4. Uncertainty
• Interpret a Bayesian network, performing inference
5. Knowledge Representation
• First-order logic, resolution proof.
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Assignments
A2
A1
A4
A3
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Prerequisites
• Algorithm analysis
• to analyze the algorithms
• Probability
• to understand probabilistic models
• Python and command line tools
• to implement the algorithms and run/test your program
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AI/ML Courses in CS @ UofT
CSC 384 CSC 486
Intro to AI KR
CSC 412 CSC 413
Prob Models Deep Learning
CSC 311 CSC 420
Intro to ML Vision
CSC 401 CSC 485
NLP Linguistics
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Getting Involved in AI @ UofT
CSC494/495 Courses
Undergraduate Summer Research Program (Dept CS)
Undergraduate Research Fund (Faculty of Arts & Science)
Undergraduate AI Group (UAIG)
UofT Self-driving Car Team
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COURSE ADMINISTRATION
Seeking Help
• What is the best way to seek help?
• When and where are Prof Gao’s office hours?
• When and where are the TA’s office hours?
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Course Schedule
• Which topic has the largest number of lectures?
• Which topic has the smallest number of lectures?
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Grading Scheme
• How much are the tests worth towards your final
grade?
• How much are the assignments worth towards your
final grade?
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Tests
• Which day will we have the tests?
• Why are there four tests instead of one midterm?
• How should you prepare for the tests?
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Assignments
• When are the assignment due date and time?
• Where should you submit assignments?
• How will the assignments be marked?
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Final Exam
• Which topics will be covered on the final exam?
• If you get < 40% on the final exam, will you pass the
course?
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Special Consideration Policies
• How do I submit special consideration requests?
• What are valid reasons for requesting special
considerations?
• What are the types of special considerations you can
request?
• Which are acceptable forms of supporting
documentation?
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Special Consideration Policies
For extenuating circumstances that are
unexpected and outside of your control
• Late enrollment
• Physical or mental health issues
• Personal/family emergency
• Relative/close friend passed away
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Remark Requests
• How can I submit remark requests?
• When is the deadline for submitting remark requests?
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Academic Integrity
Cheating only cheats yourself!
• Consult U of T Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
What you should do for assignments:
• Ask questions during office hours.
• Discuss ideas and code examples with others.
• Write code on your own.
• Say no to sending code to others.
What you should do for tests and exams:
• Create and solve practice questions.
• Practice under time pressure.
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Generative AI Policies
You may use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools
(like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot) as learning aids and to
help complete the programming assignments.
You will NOT be permitted to use generative AI on the
term tests or final exam.
You (and not any AI tool) are responsible for your learning
in this course and for all the work you submit for credit.
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RECIPROCAL INTERVIEWS
Questions for you
What are your goals for this course?
To learn new skills?
To become better educated?
To learn the subject matter?
To fulfill a requirement?
To get a good grade?
To apply your learning to other aspects of your life?
Something else?
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Questions for you
How can I best help you achieve your goals?
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Questions for you
What reservations, if any,
do you have about this course?
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Questions for you
What is the best thing
that could happen in this course?
The worst thing?
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Questions for you
What norms of behaviour, or ground rules,
should we set up to ensure that the course is
successful?
e.g. mutual respect, question asking, punctuality
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Questions for Alice
• What is your main objective for this course? What are
your goals?
• What is your theory of learning? How will you help
students learn?
• What is your approach to evaluating student learning?
• What are your expectations of students?
• How would you define your role in the course?
• What is important to you in teaching this course?
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WELCOME TO CSC384!
