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Stanford University AI Class Online! — Parallax Forums

Stanford University AI Class Online!

mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
edited 2011-11-15 20:39 in General Discussion
This looked pretty cool.

http://www.ai-class.com/

Stanford University is taking their Intro to AI class online for the Fall semester. You register, attend the lectures, do the homework, take the quizes and test just like the 200 students in the live class. At teh end, you can even get a certificate showing where you placed in the class.

The intro video says you should be willing/able to commit about 10 hours per week to the class just like the Stanford students do.

The book is a bit expensive $140 new) but it *IS* a college textbook, afterall and has to be marked up considerably!! :lol:

Just thought I'd pass this along in case any body wants to join me at "school" this Fall! :nerd:
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Comments

  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2011-08-06 11:24
    mindrobots wrote: »
    Just thought I'd pass this along in case any body wants to join me at "school" this Fall! :nerd:

    Thanks. I might join you :)
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2011-08-06 17:57
    I'd read the link a little closer.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2011-08-06 18:31
    Thanks for sharing
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2011-08-07 07:30
    $WMc% wrote: »
    I'd read the link a little closer.
    I think he means to say we DON'T get a certificate for participating only, only Stanford Enrollees
    4. Will students get a Stanford certificate?

    No. You will receive a letter of completion from the instructors which will include information on how well you did. For Stanford certificates you need to enroll at Stanford University

    This kind of contradicts the video from Sebastian Thrun.

    Not a deal brreaker, we still get a letter.

    I'm in. Are you buying the book?
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2011-08-07 08:32
    @prof_braino
    '
    Yep
    '
    I wasn't being negative.Just pointing out the "who gets a certificate" status.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-08-07 18:40
    Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you would get Stanford University credit or CEU credits. From what I took away from the information, you just get an indication of your ranking in the class.

    Prof B., I hate to buy college texts new. I f I can find a good used copy, I'll try and get the text.
  • John A. ZoidbergJohn A. Zoidberg Posts: 514
    edited 2011-08-07 21:30
    I'm in a different time zone. Too bad it's not for users outside the university. :)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-08-08 02:57
    I believe it is supposed to be a world-wide accessible event. Please read through the material again.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2011-08-08 14:40
    A couple guys from Chibots (chicago robotics) signed up.

    We may be forming a study group.

    Anybody find this text as an ebook? This may be the excuse I need to get a kindle or something.

    The link to the book http://aima.cs.berkeley.edu/
    give a link to the ebook http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/product/Artificial-Intelligence-A-Modern-Approach-ebook-3E/9780132126847.page

    but it says "no longer available".
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-08-08 14:54
    I haven't found an e-book yet - just the "no longer avail" link you found. There are some used (might be 2nd edition) for $30-$50.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-08 16:32
    I signed up, see you kids online. Thanks mindrobots!
  • jdoleckijdolecki Posts: 726
    edited 2011-08-11 11:05
    They offer 10 classes online

    to bad they dont offer something more offical for compleating them

    http://see.stanford.edu/
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-08-11 11:27
    Cool thing would be to have some Stanford created AI bot online that could follow the Stanford AI classes. Then it would reach self awarenes:)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-08-11 11:46
    @Heater,

    :smile: You haven't met the teaching assistants yet!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-12 08:24
    Received the textbook last night. WOW. It's the size of a NYC phonebook with over a thousand pages. If we're supposed to read the whole thing, I simply won't have any time to help the wife diaper the twins this fall...
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-08-12 08:27
    @erco, did you find a good deal on the text (new or used) or just through the publisher at textbook prices?

    Maybe you can apply some AI to the diapering process - a couple claws and some servos should make short work out of a pamper!! :lol:
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-12 08:44
    It was "like new" on Ebay for $70, so I pounced. Looks new to me.

    I actually posted the link here in the forum for an hour before I decided to snag it myself. Fear of commitment and all that!
  • jdoleckijdolecki Posts: 726
    edited 2011-08-12 08:50
    On 8-4 they tweeted

    aiclass AI-Class
    We're past 20,000 students! Come learn AI with us. Let's build a global education community together.
    1:45 PM Aug 4th

    WOW
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-12 09:36
    As someone said, "Natural stupidity trumps artificial intelligence every time..."
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-08-12 09:44
    Erco,
    With over a thousand pages you won't need to buy any diapers for a while:)
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-12 12:14
    As long as we pluck pages from last week's chapter, I'll be OK. XLNT incentive to stay ahead on my reading!
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2011-08-14 12:43
    I found something about an ebook from Barnes and Noble, for $96 instead of $160 but the etextbook CANNOT be displayed on a Nook or mobile device Nook-app, because of graphics.

    http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Artificial-Intelligence%2FStuart-Russell/e/9780132643146?itm=1&USRI=artificial%2Bintelligence%2Ba%2Bmodern%2Bapproach

    However, the ebook CAN be displayed on up to 2 PCs (I.E. your desktop and your laptop) using the NookStudy PC/MAC application.
    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nookstudy/

    I'm still iffy about ebooks. Anybody familliar with NookStudy?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-14 15:07
    WOW, B&N will RENT you the textbook for a whopping $46? Mine is softcover (just like a phonebook) and in new shape for $70. I'm sure that after the course I could still sell it for $50 (if I wanted to, that is!).

    Curious that they tacitly admit that their Nook readers cannot properly display the material in the book. At least you have a 7-day trial period if you want to "test-drive" their Nook study book:

    Can I try out a NOOKstudy eTextbook before buying it?
    Yes, you can! We offer a 7-day free trial of most of our available NOOKstudy eTextbook titles.

    How does the 7-day free trial work?
    The 7-day free trial gives you full access to the entire book for 7 days. However you will not be able to copy or print pages from the book. We recommend you use this time to become familiar with the NOOKstudy interface and get acclimated to reading the textbook on your computer. At the end of the free trial period, you will have the option to buy or rent the textbook.
  • jdoleckijdolecki Posts: 726
    edited 2011-08-15 10:11
    10. How many students have signed up so far?

    58158 and counting! The worlds biggest class


    Also a reddit board has been created

    http://www.reddit.com/r/aiclass/
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2011-08-15 10:32
    58158 and counting!

    That's a lot of textbooks! 58158 x $140 = a cool, quick, easy 8.142 million frogskins.

    Must be a bookstore scam.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2011-08-18 11:18
    Almost 100,000 signed up. That might mean $14 million in books. I'm definitely in the wrong racket!

    How many have gotten a book already? I'm still on the fence about the Nook Study PC application and ebook for $97 versus the hardcover at $140.
  • jdoleckijdolecki Posts: 726
    edited 2011-08-18 12:44
    Im betting they will run out of books.
  • HollyMinkowskiHollyMinkowski Posts: 1,398
    edited 2011-08-19 17:47
    I think I will sign up for this.
    I have a copy of this book available to me. I have skimmed
    through it and it looks pretty good. The Wumpus World described
    in chapter 7 is cool...games have a lot of usefulness when working
    with AI.

    7.2 THE WUMPUS WORLD
    The wumpus world is a cave consisting of rooms connected by passageways. Lurking
    somewhere in the cave is the terrible wumpus, a beast that eats anyone who enters its room.
    The wumpus can be shot by an agent, but the agent has only one arrow. Some rooms contain
    bottomless pits that will trap anyone who wanders into these rooms (except for the wumpus,
    which is too big to fall in). The only mitigating feature of this bleak environment is the
    possibility of finding a heap of gold. Although the wumpus world is rather tame by modem
    computer game standards, it illustrates some important points about intelligence.

    There is a lot of info about early pioneers like Atanasoff and Turing. (I'd like to get copies
    of Turings papers to read)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-08-20 18:20
    Amazon is down to 114.99 for the physical book and they NOW have a Kindle edition available for $87.34! (Yay!!)

    113,247 have signed up!!
  • HollyMinkowskiHollyMinkowski Posts: 1,398
    edited 2011-08-20 18:53
    They have a great tech library here and that's where I got
    the book.

    The number of books being sold here gives me the idea that
    a modestly priced ebook/large format softcover created for a free
    online class might be a way to keep food on the table for someone
    with the proper skills and reputation.

    Kits of parts could also be sold along with the books if the course
    called for electronics parts.
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