Examine a conceptual, non-programming overview of how computers learn, understand, and generate human language, including text encoding, machine learning, language modeling, and text generation. Study what makes human language difficult for computers, how these challenges are overcome, and implications for society. Engage in quantitative reasoning; technical background not required. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Linguistics 312 (Topic: Language and Computers) and 313 may not both be counted.