Promises of AI and Research in the Humanities: Optimization to What End?

This presentation examines the role of artificial intelligence in conducting and supporting humanities research, questioning whether AI's efficiencies align with the core values of humanistic inquiry. While AI offers significant enhancements—such as processing large corpora, automating data analysis, and generating content—it also introduces challenges, including potential bias, loss of interpretive depth, and over-reliance on automation. The presentation addresses the need for further AI literacy development, ethical engagement with the tools, and intentional application of these tools.