How artificial intelligence is used at SDU

1. Do you use AI in your unit?

I am a developer in the AI Hub and I work with the developers in M365 and Automation.

To me, AI is first and foremost a development tool and a mindset. It is about the ability to explore ideas and find new ways of approaching complex problems. AI is used as a kind of sparring partner that allows you to think out loud, test hypotheses and translate ideas into something specific. 

The AI Hub was established recently, so we are still in an exploring phase. I have previously worked with machine learning and with training and adapting language models to solve specific tasks. I bring that perspective to my work here. We are exploring how AI can be implemented a responsible way that also creates value, and which supports SDU’s long-term needs. 

2. Can you give examples of what you use AI for?

As a developer, I use AI directly in my development work. For example, I use it to outline possible solutions, to find alternative angles to a problem or to help write, improve and review code.

I also use it to build prototypes and to challenge my own assumptions, so that I gain new perspectives along the way. 

3. What difference has AI made in your unit so far?

The main difference is that the barriers to experimenting have been lowered. As a developer, this means that you can test something faster, discard it and learn from it along the way.

AI has made it more legitimate to be investigative and curious, even when you are not quite sure where you will end up. It encourages an environment in which it is OK to think differently and find solutions that do not follow the most obvious path. 

4. How do TAPs get started using the technology?

From my perspective, it is mostly about the desire to challenge one’s way of working. For TAPs, it can make sense to start with specific everyday situations in which AI can create an overview, improve quality or save time and to use it as a tool to gain new perspectives when it makes sense.

It also requires the courage to be a bit rebellious. Not by breaking rules, but by questioning habits and processes and trying out new ways of doing things. 

5. What do you see as SDU’s strengths and opportunities in terms of utilising AI?

SDU has a strong combination of technical infrastructure, professional expertise and people who are used to thinking critically. From a developer perspective, this is a great strength because AI rewards those who are curious enough to test the boundaries. Those who would like to discover the threads in the spider’s web before they become apparent to everyone else. This is where the solutions have the potential to get really interesting, in my opinion. 

6. What principles do you think should guide the responsible and development-oriented use of AI at SDU?

To me, the responsible use of AI is not supposed to resemble an obstacle. It should resemble an invitation to experiment wisely. At a university, we are driven by curiosity and critical thinking, and AI may be used to reinforce this because the technology allows us to view problems from new angles, challenge familiar ways of working and try out entirely new ideas.  

Responsibility means taking good care of data and people and being accountable for what we do.  

Development-oriented means that we dare to challenge our assumptions. 

Read more about artificial intelligence at SDU