Artificial Intelligence Tools for Scientific Work: Ethics, Responsibility, and Practical Applications

Workshop held at the Leipzig University Library (more info here). Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming academic research. This interactive workshop offers a practical introduction to AI tools that support scientific workflows, from literature discovery and paper analysis to exploring citation networks and identifying research trends. We don’t just highlight the potential of these tools; we also critically examine their limitations and risks, such as data quality issues, algorithmic opacity, and the potential for biased or misleading outputs. Participants will engage in hands-on demonstrations of selected AI tools, while also exploring key ethical, legal, and sustainability considerations. The session emphasizes responsible AI use in research, addressing topics like data privacy, intellectual property, transparency, and the long-term implications of relying on rapidly evolving, often opaque AI systems. The goal of the workshop is to equip participants with a clear understanding of essential safeguards and best practices, as well as a practical, secure workflow to confidently integrate AI tools into their research without compromising scientific integrity, reproducibility, or compliance. We warmly invite you to join with a digital device (tablet, laptop, or smartphone) to actively test the presented tools. Furthermore, we look forward to an open and constructive discussion on the role of artificial intelligence in research and education.