AI 4 Science Programme Has Already Supported More Than 100 Research Projects

The HUN-REN AI 4 Science ambassador team started the year by reflecting on the programme's achievements so far and planning activities for 2025. Since its launch in September 2024, the programme has made remarkable progress in just four months.

Over the past year, the primary focus has been on training and developing the technological infrastructure. The 25 AI Ambassadors have trained more than 500 individuals, while over 200 researchers have attended workshops. Many researchers also opted for in-person consultations to address their specific AI-related questions. Additionally, a technology platform has been established at the HUN-REN HQ, enabling researchers to securely use open-source language models like ChatGPT and access a custom research image analysis application. These efforts have culminated in over 100 research projects being supported in 2024 by ambassadors and the HQ’s AI expert team.

This year, alongside expanding support activities, the programme will focus on showcasing results and strengthening inter-institutional collaboration. During an all-day workshop on 15 January, ambassadors reviewed best practices, shared methodologies for effectively supporting researchers, identified key focus areas, and set ambitious goals for advancing AI support in research.

In the coming months, the AI Ambassadors will prioritise face-to-face consultations and aim to facilitate inspiring outcomes that researchers can present in interdisciplinary contexts, such as mini-conferences or workshops. A key objective is to identify novel AI-supported research topics that researchers can pursue, even in the long term.

Building on the success of the AI 4 Science programme, three new initiatives have been launched to enhance researchers' work through AI. The AI4Efficiency programme focuses on automating support and administrative processes, such as finance, HR, or IT-related tasks. AI4Innovation aims to advance market-oriented research throughout the development lifecycle, providing support in areas like competitor analysis, research on innovative content, and identifying and targeting potential customers.

Finally, AI1Science (AI First Science) targets research areas where the advancement of artificial intelligence could fundamentally transform the way research is conducted. Together, these four AI programmes will complement each other to advance the core mission of the HUN-REN transformation: enabling researchers, with the support of the centre, to concentrate on impactful and valuable research while leveraging the potential of a diverse scientific network.