Lessons from the Edges of Interdisciplinarity - Integrating Artificial Intelligence with the Humanities, Social and Economic Sciences

International calls for the involvement of a broader set of disciplinary experts in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) products are growing. By involving a more diverse set of experts, it is hoped that AI innovations will be more reflective of contemporary societal values and avoid detrimental risks to people, institutions, and the environment. While collaboration between AI experts and scholars from the humanities, social and economic sciences (HSES) has been suggested to tackle the challenge of developing safer technology, little information is available on the mechanics of cross-disciplinary collaboration in this context. This paper aims to examine the nature of cross-disciplinary collaborations between AI and HSES, and to identify enabling conditions and practices essential for meaningful and effective integration. It draws on an interdisciplinary integration process trialed by a small group of Australian artificial intelligence experts, humanities scholars, and social and economic scientists. A collaborative inquiry approach was pursued to detail their attempt to design and participate in a short-term program of activities with the aim of facilitating collaboration and progress toward interdisciplinary integration for the development of shared outputs in the long-term. The paper shares their experiences, challenges, and the lessons captured along the way over an 18-month period. Among the reflections and insights shared, is that achieving true integration is a continuing endeavor, requiring dedicated resourcing, a long-term vision, and room to experiment and learn.