AI Swarm Simulation Ethics Course
Online 300-hour course in ethics in AI swarm simulation. 6 modules covering Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (1977), Article 36, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (1980) and NetLogo. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the principles of collective behaviour and swarm intelligence.
Build multi-agent simulation models and assess their limitations.
Analyse the predictability and control of emergent behaviours.
Apply the legal and ethical framework to research on autonomous swarms.
Distinguish beneficial civilian applications from concerning uses.
Design governance mechanisms for swarm research projects.
Develop an integrative swarm simulation project with ethical assessment.
Who it's for
- Swarm robotics researcher who wishes to specialise in Ethics in AI Swarm Simulation.
- Multi-agent systems engineer who wishes to specialise in Ethics in AI Swarm Simulation.
- Simulation specialist who wishes to specialise in Ethics in AI Swarm Simulation.
- Research governance analyst who wishes to specialise in Ethics in AI Swarm Simulation.
- Autonomous systems verification engineer who wishes to specialise in Ethics in AI Swarm Simulation.
- Technology ethics adviser who wishes to specialise in Ethics in AI Swarm Simulation.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter universities and research centres.
What you'll work with
- Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (1977), Article 36
- Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (1980)
- IEEE 7001-2021 (transparency of autonomous systems)
- ISO/IEC 23894 (AI risk management)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (operation of unmanned aircraft)
- IEEE 7000-2021 (values-based design)
- European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ALLEA, 2023)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What a swarm is and what distinguishes it from a fleet1.2Biological inspiration and emergent behaviour1.3Centralised, decentralised and hybrid coordination1.4Communication between agents and its cost1.5Civilian applications: inspection, agriculture and emergency response1.6Swarm simulation and its usefulness1.7Boundaries between simulation and operational capability1.8Vocabulary of multi-agent systems1.9Sources and reference literature1.10Exercise: describe the behaviour of a swarm
2.1Agent models and local rules2.2Agent-based simulation2.3Simulation environments and their fidelity2.4Model validation against reality2.5Scaling and computational cost2.6Randomness and experimental reproducibility2.7Metrics of collective behaviour2.8Parameter sensitivity2.9Experiment documentation2.10Practice: build a simple simulation
3.1Emergence and the difficulty of predicting the outcome3.2Verification of safety properties3.3Behavioural barriers and safe envelopes3.4Termination and recovery of control3.5Communication failure and degraded behaviour3.6Collisions and separation between agents3.7Interference with third parties and airspace3.8Robustness against defective agents3.9Trials in a controlled environment3.10Practice: define the safe envelopes
4.1Applicable unmanned aircraft regulations4.2Operation of multiple aircraft and its authorisation4.3Responsibility for collective behaviour4.4Meaningful human control over a swarm4.5International humanitarian law and open debates4.6Data protection in collective data capture4.7Export control of the technology4.8Dual-use research and its governance4.9Researcher responsibility4.10Debate: human control in a distributed system
5.1Prior ethical review of the project5.2Assessment of foreseeable misuse5.3Decision to publish and level of detail5.4Data, code and responsible reproducibility5.5Collaboration with industry and public administrations5.6Transparency about real capabilities5.7Training of the research team5.8Internal objection channels5.9Public communication without exaggeration5.10Practice: committee opinion on a project
6.1Choice of application and scenario6.2Design of the agent model and rules6.3Simulation and validation plan6.4Definition of envelopes and human control6.5Predictability and failure analysis6.6Applicable legal framework6.7Misuse assessment and measures6.8Responsible publication plan6.9Project report6.10Project defence
How you'll learn
Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is NetLogo, ARGoS, Python (Mesa), ROS 2 with Gazebo, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Work is carried out on real procedures for multi-agent simulation of collective behaviour, analysis of emergent behaviours and ethical reviews of research projects. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the principles of collective behaviour and swarm intelligence.
Build multi-agent simulation models and assess their limitations.
Analyse the predictability and control of emergent behaviours.
Apply the legal and ethical framework to research on autonomous swarms.
Distinguish beneficial civilian applications from concerning uses.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.
The course uses NetLogo, ARGoS, Python (Mesa), ROS 2 with Gazebo. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. This is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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