This editorial is translated by UiOGPT
Digitalization, and especially the expansive emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), has the potential to transform society and the way we approach teaching and research. With strong academic environments that embrace the full breadth of the social sciences, the Faculty of Social Sciences is uniquely positioned to take a leading role in education and research on the societal consequences of AI and contribute to a sustainable and positive development and implementation of AI in society.
It is likely that AI will, among other things, revolutionize parts of the healthcare system and streamline and automate bureaucratic processes with customized information and case management for individual citizens. Such improvements can help to strengthen the foundations of a functioning democracy. But the enormous potential of AI, which we are only just beginning to glimpse the contours of, carries with it a significant downside. Even with today's still undeveloped technology, generative techniques are already being used to produce vast amounts of text, sound, and images that are difficult to distinguish from human-created content and reality.
This blurring of the lines between truth and fiction challenges prevailing standards for source criticism and has unforeseen implications for society. How is democracy and the political systems affected? How is AI understood and used by different ethnic groups and cultures? How can AI be used to target and streamline the prevention and treatment of physical and mental disorders? What are the socio-economic implications of the emergence of AI? How do AI-generated decisions differ from human judgements and errors? What does the emergence of AI do to the trust in the information society? What characterizes a functioning digitalized society? The research needs associated with AI are vast.
As for students and teachers, AI has primarily concerned how easy it is to cheat and how difficult it is for examiners to detect. Great uncertainty among both educators and students about what constitutes "legitimate" use of AI has led to demands for regulation of students' use of AI. But this is probably not something we can simply regulate away. Effective and sustainable use of AI in education will require competence, raising awareness, and creating attitudes among both students and educators. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the solutions to AI-related societal challenges and research needs are not primarily technical or technological. They require interaction between disciplines, perspectives, and methods, both in research and in teaching. As researchers and educators, we must get to know and understand AI, and collaborate to develop solid knowledge bases, increased competence, and platforms for sharing experiences.
At the Faculty of Social Sciences, we are therefore adopting a comprehensive approach to AI within research and education, both separately and together. On the educational side, former study dean, Trine Waaktaar, established the AI Task Force in 2023. This was followed up by establishing an AI network in 2024; EILIN AI-Hub. Ambitions on the study side include goals to develop knowledge bases and best practice examples through subject-specific projects, establish platforms for experience sharing and skill building, and share experiences and contribute to community building within education.
On the research side, former research dean, Tore Nilssen, established a working group for AI in research in 2024. Initially, the mandate was to contribute to skill building and experience sharing on AI tools as work support for our staff, as well as to develop platforms for dialogue and collaboration among faculty researchers with an interest in AI. The working group has established a seminar series and has already conducted two breakfast meetings for all faculty staff. The next one is coming right after the summer. The events have been well attended, and there is great interest among our staff.
For the faculty, an important goal is to assist and facilitate, so that our research and teaching are at the forefront of rapid development in this field. A crucial success factor is good projects, that we collaborate and share experiences with each other. Another important component is close and good cooperation between research and teaching, so that academic development is reflected in the education we provide, and that this building of skills occurs across disciplines. Today's students will manage the AI society of the future, and we must give them the necessary knowledge, skills, and good attitudes they need to do so.