Smart critique: AI Tools for literary beginners

This course offers an engaging introduction to the evolving world of literary analysis in the age of artificial intelligence. Designed for beginners and literature enthusiasts alike, it bridges traditional approaches to criticism with cutting-edge AI tools and methods. Learners will explore how human insight and machine intelligence can work together to interpret, critique, and even create literary works.

Starting with the foundations of literary analysis, the course guides participants through the basics of artificial intelligence, demystifying concepts like natural language processing and large language models. Through hands-on examples, students will see how AI can summarize texts, detect themes, map character relationships, and generate new narratives. Exploring AI tools, examples of AI assisted criticism, and other applications of AI in literature shows students real world examples of the power of AI in literary studies. The course also examines the strengths and limitations of both traditional and AI-assisted criticism, encouraging critical thinking about what each approach offers.

Ethical, philosophical, and practical questions are woven throughout: Who owns AI-generated literature? Can machines be truly creative? What does the future hold for authorship and originality? By the end, learners will not only understand the tools and debates shaping modern literary studies, but also gain the confidence to use AI thoughtfully in their own reading, writing, and analysis.