About This AI Online Course
Automation has long been a force multiplier for military capability, increasing the speed, consistency and scale of operations across defense missions.
Today, advances in artificial intelligence are accelerating automation beyond physical systems to include cognitive tasks traditionally performed by humans to create new opportunities to enhance operational effectiveness while introducing important technical, organizational and human considerations.
Understanding the principles of automation—and the tradeoffs associated with its implementation—is essential for defense professionals responsible for developing, deploying, managing, or operating AI-enabled capabilities.
This online training course explores the evolution of automation from early mechanical systems to today’s AI-enabled technologies and examines how automation fundamentally transforms the way work is performed. You will explore automation as the translation of work from humans to machines and how this shift reshapes entire systems—not simply individual tasks. Through historical and modern examples, the course illustrates how automation has continually redefined industries, workforce roles and operational processes.
You will learn about the benefits of automation, including increased speed, scalability, consistency and predictability and the organizational and societal changes that frequently accompany technological transformation. The course also explains how automation alters workforce responsibilities, changes the nature of human decision making and can produce unintended consequences extending well beyond the automated task itself.
Building on these foundational concepts, this online course introduces key engineering and operational considerations for implementing automated systems. You will explore how automated systems rely on predefined rules and specifications, the distinction between specification and implementation errors and how shortcomings in system design can contribute to operational failures. You will also discover important human factors associated with automation, including automation dependency, deskilling, mode confusion and the challenges of effective human-machine teaming. Lastly, this online training course discusses how organizations can evaluate when automation is appropriate and how to balance operational efficiency with human judgment, oversight and mission risk.
Enroll to gain a practical understanding of the opportunities, limitations and tradeoffs associated with automation and will be better prepared to assess the responsible application of automation and AI-enabled systems across defense and national security missions
What You Will Learn
- Explain the fundamental principles of automation and its evolution from mechanical systems to modern AI-enabled technologies
- Analyze how automation transforms operational systems, workforce responsibilities, and organizational processes
- Evaluate the technical, human, and organizational risks associated with automation
- Assess when automation is appropriate for mission applications by balancing efficiency, consistency, scalability, human judgment, and operational riskense context
Who Should Take This Online Course
This online training course is designed for defense or intelligence professionals working for the Federal government or government contractor companies who wish to learn about automation in a defense context.
More seasoned professionals will also benefit from this online training experience to obtain a refresher on the critical subject matter.
Prerequisites
None. However, prior completion of the FedLearn course, Introduction to AI/Machine Learning Concepts & Terminology (AIDATA109), is highly recommended.
Course Certificate
To achieve a course certificate of completion, you must score 80 percent or higher on a graded quiz.
Course Format
Self-paced, online training course
Course Pricing
Individual courses are $9.99 (per person).
Seat licenses to access the entire FedLearn AI and data science catalog are also available. Click here to learn more and purchase
If you are interested in learning about special team rates for Federal government and government contractor organizations, email [email protected]
Continuing Professional Education Units
This course provides 1.25 CPEs.
