Generative Artificial Intelligence (generative AI) is a specific type of artificial intelligence that uses advanced machine learning methods to analyze vast amounts of data and generate new content. To do this, generative AI identifies patterns in source data to create content that resembles that produced by humans, such as text, images, sounds, or code, among others.

The new generative AI tools and features, which are constantly developing and changing, pose ongoing challenges for Postgraduate Studies at Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa (ICS), as well as for the ability of faculty, students, and doctoral researchers to reflect on, adapt to, or reject them.

These challenges are linked to the ethical issues involved in using these tools (from social, economic, and environmental perspectives, as well as cognitive and epistemological dimensions), and their application in academic contexts to enhance research and learning, as well as to evaluate them. Although this process is still in its early stages, other schools at the University of Lisbon and several international institutions are more advanced, having already produced detailed guiding documents based on their reflections. Recognizing the urgency of discussing the use of generative AI in teaching and assessment methodologies, the Working Group “Artificial Intelligence – Scientific, Pedagogical, and Social Challenges” of the Scientific Council—composed of Ana Delicado, Ângela Barreto Xavier, Clara Saraiva, Eduardo Lima, Jussara Rowland, Nina Amelung, Olivia Bina, Pellegrino Cammino, Sofia Aboim, and Susana Salgado— began a reflection on the topic.

In line with its mission, the group structured its reflection around several principles: the centrality of human authorship and academic responsibility; the value of critical thinking, originality, and authorial reflection; transparency in the use of generative AI tools as a condition for academic trust; and the promotion of a shared culture of ethical and informed use of technology in postgraduate studies.

With these goals in mind, the group produced this first document (also including contributions from other ICS researchers), which synthesizes much of the information discussed in documents from other schools considered relevant for the ICS context regarding the intersection of generative AI and Postgraduate Studies. It is a living document, meaning a flexible document that will be updated in response to constant changes, new tools and functionalities, emerging needs of faculty and students, and comments or suggestions received by email at conselho.cientifico@ics.ulisboa.pt with the subject line GT AI – Scientific, Pedagogical, and Social Challenges.