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Unit of study_
ARIN6906: Emerging Technologies and Issues
2026 unit information
The introduction and adoption of new technologies have always had profound social, cultural, political and ethical impacts. This unit explores theories for understanding how technologies emerge and are adopted, and critically interrogates the nature and potential impacts of contemporary emerging technologies such as AI, Robotics, live-streaming, deep fakes, social network manipulation, machine learning, computer vision and the automation of work. Students are equipped with a deep understanding of emerging technologies and issues.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Media and Communications |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Demonstrate understanding of how emerging technologies reshape perception, agency, and social structures.
- LO2. Apply key theoretical frameworks to critically analyse the dynamics of complex technological systems.
- LO3. Collaborate strategically to develop and defend argumentative positions on emergent technological futures.
- LO4. Design speculative scenarios that synthesise theoretical insight with creative forecasting of technological impacts.
- LO5. Reflect critically on the use of artificial intelligence and other digital tools as extensions of cognition, communication, and creative practice.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
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Semester 2 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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