The Power of AI Tools in Social Science Research: Will Machines Lead Our Scientific Future?

Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute invites researchers to a methodological workshop on AI tools in social science research.

• Duration of the workshop – 1,5 hours (2 academic hours).
• Language – English.
• Format – online workshop via MS Teams.
• Please register for the workshop here. A few days before the training, all registered participants will receive an MS Teams link to the workshop.
• Trainer: Prof. Dr. Eran Vigoda-Gadot, the University of Haifa, Israel.

Content of the training

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising our life, and its impact on research and development in the social sciences cannot be underestimated. This training will introduce students and researchers in the social sciences to the potential contribution of AI ideas and practical platforms.

The first part will delve into AI’s meaning, recent developments, various tools that maximize its impact (textual, visual, video, data-related, survey, and experiment implications), its major platforms, and the benefits of using AI in SS research. We will also mention ethical considerations, challenges and limitations, and future directions of progress in this field.

The second part will demonstrate how AI is currently used in one study relating digital governance and citizens’ emotions across cultures.

Finally, a short Q&A session will allow participants to comment, suggest self-experience and highlight concrete issues worthy of consideration in the future progress of the field.

About the trainer

ERAN VIGODA-GADOT is Professor of Public Administration and Management at the Division of Public Administration and Policy, School of Political Science, The University of Haifa, Israel. He is the founder of the Center for Public Management and Policy (CPMP) and the founder of the Public Organizations and Public Policy Interdisciplinary behavioral Lab (POP-I Lab). His interest fields are Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management in Public Administration; Organizational Politics; Political Behavior and Citizens’ Role in Governance; Trust in Government; Public Administration and Government Performance in Times of Emergency and Crises; Public Sector Reforms and Performance; Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB); New Public Management (NPM); Democracy & Bureaucracy; Engagement and Emotions in Public Service; Collaboration and Innovation in Public Administration; Resilience and Wellbeing in times of Emergency.

Prof. Eran Vigoda-Gadot was recently included in a global study by Stanford University (Ioannidis, 2024*; also previously published in Plos Biology, 2019-23), at the top 2% of scientists worldwide, ranked 75 out of more than 16000 in political science and public administration. More details about his work, publications, citations, and public activities can be found on his website.

The training will be moderated by dr. Gintarė Pocė, Head of project activities of the V. Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute.

For more information about the workshop, please send an email to vki[et]vdu.lt.

This workshop is one of the activities of the project “Strengthening of R&D activities of the Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Institute of Social and Humanities Sciences (SOCMTEP)”. The project is financed by the Lithuanian Science Council and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania, contract no. S-A-UEI-23-13 (12/27/2023). Funding program – “University Excellence Initiative” (No. V-940).