The Computer Science Department offers two introductory AI courses: CS121 and CS221. This document is intended to help you decide which one is most appropriate for you.
Each of the two classes is a self-contained general introduction to artificial intelligence. Students are expected to take either CS121 or CS221, but not both. (Note: a student who takes CS121 and gets excited about AI is allowed to subsequently take CS221, but there will be significant overlap in the material covered.)
CS121 is an introduction to some of the basic concepts in artificial intelligence. It is intended to be accessible to students with minimal background in computer science (CS103). The course will cover some basic AI concepts and provide a high level survey of some of the more advanced ideas.
CS221 will provide a more technical coverage of many of the important principles and techniques used in modern artificial intelligence. The emphasis of the course is on the more advanced techniques, and their use in real-world systems. It is targeted at students with some background knowledge in algorithms and probability. While CS221 does cover the basic material, this coverage will be done very rapidly. The course proceeds much more quickly than CS121, and covers substantially more advanced material.
Note that most departmental requirements are satisfied by CS121. However, we recommend that you take CS221 if you are interested in artificial intelligence and are thinking about taking additional courses in the field. You should also take CS221 if you are interested in a more challenging course with a more significant algorithmic component. Furthermore, you must take CS221 if you are a (i) CS Undergraduate student taking the AI track, (ii) CS Master's student specializing in AI, or (iii) Symbolic Systems Program student specializing in AI or Applied Logic (also strongly recommended for SSP students specializing in Rationality).