Artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a buzzword anymore, it is fundamentally reshaping the higher education landscape, with AI writing bots already disrupting academic text production. As we embrace this transformative technology, key questions arise.

In doctoral education, AI’s impact extends beyond research and academic writing, potentially impacting the way in which research-based training will be shaped and organised in the future. While the essence of PhD programmes revolves around cultivating “creative, critical, autonomous, and responsible intellectual risk-takers”, the question looms: will AI enhance or undermine this objective?

AI’s reach extends to supervision and support systems. Relieving scholars from routine tasks and empowering them to engage in truly innovative endeavours can offer the possibility for increased productivity and, potentially, higher quality outputs. Yet, ethical and responsible usage need to be considered critically.

Furthermore, AI’s impact reaches into recruitment processes in academia and beyond. Will it cast a shadow of uncertainty on future career prospects of PhD graduates? And finally, how will AI affect the role of professionals in doctoral education?

Join us at the PRIDE 2024 conference in Zurich for a thought-provoking exploration of these pivotal questions. Is AI truly beyond our control, akin to a BOT (Beyond Our Touch), an entity operating beyond our traditional boundaries? As we embark on this transformative journey, the need for knowledge exchange and a deeper understanding becomes increasingly clear, recognizing that we are still in the early stages of this remarkable transformation.

For more information and registration, visit https://pride-network.eu/conference2024/