How should we live with these technologies? Who is responsible for their consequences? What would a just, sustainable, and meaningful technological future look like? The minor Philosophy of Technology and AI offers a critical, interdisciplinary exploration of technology and AI from philosophical perspectives that matter right now. You will not just learn about technology, but you will learn how technologies actively shape values, knowledge, power, identities, and ways of living together on a fragile planet.

Drawing on ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of science, aesthetics, epistemology, logic, and science & technology studies, the minor provides the conceptual and speculative tools to analyze, evaluate and reimagine our technological society and technological futures.

The Philosophy of Technology and AI-minor stands out because it helps you understand and question technologies shape our world and our relationships. You’ll examine issues like algorithmic bias, online surveillance, climate impact, and Big Tech’s role, while learning to imagine responsible and just technology. 

The Big Questions You’ll Explore

1. Big Tech, Digital Autonomy, and Democracy: How should we evaluate the role of powerful technology corporations in relation to digital autonomy, democratic decision-making, and national boundaries?
2. Artificial Consciousness and Intelligence: To what extent is AI 'intelligent' or 'conscious', and what are its limits with regard to knowledge acquisition and morality?
3. Climate, Extraction, and Exploitation: What is its impact of technology on our shared planet: the climate, our environments, on humans and other animals? Can this be justified, who should be held responsible and can we imagine different futures?
4. Just and Ethical Technology: To what extent can and should we rely on just treatment by technological systems given (geo) (political) practices that involve data collection, surveillance, bias, and discrimination?
5. Technology and the Good Life: What do new technologies mean for the 'good life' and for ‘living together’ at the level of individuals, society and the planet?

This minor is offered by the Faculty of Humanities. The faculty’s minors consist of 30 ECTS credits and earn you a second qualification that will be listed on the transcript accompanying your degree certificate. 

Study schedule

Entry requirements

This minor is open for application to students who have obtained an academic first-year diploma or a positive Binding Study Advice from an academic Bachelor's programme. 

The minor is also open for application to students from a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (HBO) who have completed their propaedeutic year. If you are an HBO student and if you are looking to do a Master's programme at the UvA, please check out our pre-Master's programmes, as completing a minor is not enough to grant you access to Master’s programmes, as completing a minor is not enough to grant you access to Master’s programmes.

Registration and placement

You can register for a minor in the Academic year 2026-2027 from 1 April to 6 May 2026.

This minor has a limited number of places available. If there are more applications than available places, a lottery will be held. The timing of your application within the specified period will not affect your chances of being placed.

Are you not a UvA student? Please check here for which Bachelor's programme you need to register at the UvA as an elective course student.