PF: Should applicants address the ethics section only if their research activity involves the development, deployment and/ or use of Artificial Intelligence?

Applicants who plan to develop, deploy and/ or use Artificial Intelligence in their project should address this under Criterion 1 (Excellence) as they would do for any other key methodology they plan to use in the project. Addressing the technical robustness of AI systems is no longer required under Criterion 1.

As in previous MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships calls, whenever applicants intend to develop, deploy, or make use of AI in their project, they should answer ‘Yes’ to the relevant question in Part A, Section 4 - Ethics and Security, and provide an explanation of the ethical implications of the objectives, methodology, and potential impact of AI in their project, as well as compliance with relevant ethical principles and legislation, in the Ethics self-assessment of Part A (and in Part B2, if necessary).

Further information can be found in the document How to complete your ethics self-assessment. Applicants should also be aware of how the AI Act can affect their research activities.

PF: Are applicants still required to provide a list of sources used to generate content?

Applicants are indeed advised to indicate the sources of any generative AI content at the end of Part B2.

PF: Do applicants need to indicate the use of Artificial Intelligence in their application?

Yes, applicants need to indicate the use of Artificial Intelligence and specify which one they have used.

PF: Is Maxqda or similar software considered as AI for Postdoctoral Fellowships?

The applicant can consider it AI, and include the relevant information in the proposal. Evaluators would not punish them for including more information, but could consider it a weakness if it is overlooked.

Maxqda website says that they are currently developing an AI add-on, so it might be part of the package by the time the project will be implemented.

 

PF: Can you confirm whether Artificial Intelligence should be addressed within the Gender & Other Diversity Aspects of section 1.2 (as it is currently in the 2023 Postdoctoral Fellowships proposal template) or whether this should be pulled out as a new sub-heading under section 1.2?

If Artificial Intelligence is planned to be included in the proposal, its robustness should be addressed under sub-criterion 1.2 (no further sub-heading is required, although it can be used by applicants). No changes have been implemented compared to the 2021 and 2022 calls.