19 Nov 2024
The Guild position paper calls for responsible use of AI in research
The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities has published a position paper on 'The use of artificial intelligence in research: Unlocking its full potential'. The paper was released on 19 November 2024.
In its position paper, the Guild considers how universities can help the EU to respond in an effective and distinctive way, within the framework for the responsible use of AI in science, looking at how to strengthen European research on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and what is needed to ensure AI can boost Europe's research across disciplines?
To enable universities to effectively respond to these challenges, the paper states that we must significantly strengthen not only the funding of R&I but the entire R&I ecosystem. The Guild therefore calls on universities, national funders and the European Union to:
- Strengthen Fundamental Research on AI, since Europe cannot improve its global position without serious investment in fundamental research in AI.
- Strengthen the use of AI in cross-disciplinary research, not only to strengthen Europe’s wider research base, but also to enhance our understanding of the uses of AI and their impact.
- Develop and strengthen skills for using AI in research and foster talent among students and researchers.
- Optimise infrastructure and data, such as improving computing infrastructure and data availability, as this is crucial for sharing data and accessing sustainable computing resources.
The Guild’s recommendations address the diverse challenges AI poses across different research areas and supports the responsible use of AI in research. The Guild states that the association remains committed to collaborating with the European Commission in developing its vision for AI to ensure AI is used effectively in advancing scientific progress across Europe. The position paper is published in view of the strategy to increase the uptake of AI by European scientists which Commissioner-designate Zaharieva has been commissioned to prepare.
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