👇 Fresh perspectives from Diogo Machado, Head of Data Science at Technopolis Group, one of our experts presenting at the #REvaluation24. We’re proud to see you contributing to the conversation on #AI use in #SciencePolicy!
Amid the rapid rise of AI in scientific research, is there anything about science that remains quintessentially human? 🥼 - 🤖 👇 ... This question, posed by our great friend Peter Kolarz from Research On Research Institute (RoRI), marked the end of my participation at the #REvaluation24 conference in Vienna last week. At the conference, I had the opportunity to present two pieces of Technopolis Group work operationalising #AI use in #sciencepolicy. The first piece focused on our work using generative AI to review scientific evaluation reports with the Austrian Science Fund FWF, while the second piece delved into using AI to measure scientific originality and help address AI biases against highly novel and risky ideas. My answer: human curiosity and passion. We invest in science for lots of good reasons—all the social progress, productivity, and improving public health...—which are exciting in the policy world but, let’s be honest, kind of boring to everyone else. Yet, for me, beyond these practical motivations, it’s our innate curiosity and the fact that science is simply fun that truly drives it forward. Science is a game, a puzzle that researchers become obsessed with, leading to immense human satisfaction and, at times, (or most of the time?) large doses of human frustration. Also of course leading to both healthy and unhealthy competition and collaboration. For me, these human traits—curiosity, passion, obsession, and the emotional highs and lows of the scientific journey—are what makes scientific research quintessentially human. They go beyond perfectly rational decision-makers and delve into the realm of the intangible—not to mention the serendipitous mistakes that often pave the way for transformational discoveries. Could we tweak AI to have all of these quirky and profound traits? Perhaps, but they will always be an imitation, never the real thing (and perhaps that's for the best—for the sake of the AI science robot itself!). After the thought-provoking discussions at this conference, I am genuinely curious to see—and continue contributing to—how AI will shape the future of science. While the risks and challenges it introduces are undeniable, I remain confident that AI will not only help us fulfil our curiosity but also inspire and amplify it! Thank you Austrian Platform for Research and Technology Policy Evaluation (fteval) for the wonderful event and hosting up to ten Technopolis Group policy contributions!
