Aston University and the University of Leeds have secured £3.4m to lead a national network assessing the impact of publicly available AI tools on doctoral research.
The Artificial Intelligence Researcher Development Network Plus (AI.RDN+) will explore how tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are being used by PhD researchers, supervisors and examiners, and create resources to guide responsible adoption.
The initiative is backed by the Research England Development Fund and led by professor Phil Mizen (pictured) of Aston University, alongside Dr Hosam Al-Samarraie and professor Arunangsu Chatterjee from the University of Leeds.
It will also draw on expertise from the eight Midlands Innovation universities and the 12-strong Yorkshire Universities consortium.
“The Artificial Intelligence Researcher Development Network Plus will provide detailed knowledge of the uptake and impact of publicly available AI tools across the doctoral ecosystem and use this to co-create much-needed information, resources and professional and skills training opportunities,” said Mizen.
“Our project is a unique opportunity to build knowledge and capture innovation, and to use this to build the resources needed for the ethical and responsible use of AI in doctoral research.”
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The project will be supported by sector bodies including Jisc, Vitae, the UK Council for Graduate Education, and the National Centre for Universities and Business.
It will also link with other Research England initiatives, such as the Next Generation Research SuperVision Project and Prosper.
Chatterjee added: “This award reflects the importance of collaboration across universities to understand and shape the role of AI in research.
By working alongside Aston and partners across the Midlands and Yorkshire, we can bring together complementary expertise and perspectives.
“At Leeds, through One Leeds, we have committed to embracing AI in a way that is responsible, inclusive and guided by our values.
I am particularly pleased to see Dr Hosam Al-Samarraie leading this work for Leeds, bringing both expertise and vision to the partnership.
“Together, through this network, we can build shared resources and approaches that ensure AI adoption in doctoral research is innovative, ethical and delivers real benefit for researchers and society.”
The project team also includes Dr Frances Thirlway and professor Aniko Ekhart from Aston, alongside Dr Helen Turner, director of Midlands Innovation.