Foresight Institute launches free AI futures course using worldbuilding to expand governance discussions

Foresight Institute’s newly launched free course on AI futures combines worldbuilding with serious discussion of governance, alignment, and long-term trajectories. This innovative educational approach represents a strategic effort to expand the conversation about AI’s future beyond technical specialists, using creative scenarios as an entry point for those without technical backgrounds who still want to meaningfully engage with shaping AI development.

The big picture: Foresight Institute has created a self-paced course titled “Worldbuilding Hopeful Futures with AI” that uses creative scenario development as a gateway to engage more diverse participants in discussions about AI governance and alignment.

Key details: The course features lectures from prominent experts across multiple disciplines to provide balanced perspectives on AI’s potential futures.

• Guest lecturers include Helen Toner (CSET, former OpenAI board) on frontier lab dynamics, Anthony Aguirre (FLI) on existential risk, and Hannah Ritchie (Our World in Data) on grounded progress.
• Additional contributors include Glen Weyl (RadicalxChange) focusing on plural governance approaches and historian/sci-fi author Ada Palmer on long-range thinking.

Why this matters: While the content may cover familiar territory for those already deeply engaged with AI risk topics, it serves as a valuable resource for expanding the community of stakeholders participating in conversations about AI’s long-term trajectory.

• The course specifically targets non-technical participants who want to understand and influence AI’s development path.
• It emphasizes constructive engagement through creative worldbuilding rather than purely technical discussions.

Where we go from here: The creators are actively seeking input from experienced AI thinkers to help develop more diverse, plausible positive-world scenarios that can guide better public conversations about AI futures.

• The initiative invites contributions to expand the range of strategically relevant futures being contemplated.
• The course is available to access for free on Udemy’s platform.