LLMs for HASS Research: Opportunities, Challenges, and a Human-Centered Future

Large language models (LLMs) are rapidly changing what is possible in humanities and social sciences (HASS) research, but their appropriate role remains unclear. This talk, presented by Prof Laurence Anthony, examines their influence across three interconnected stages of the research lifecycle: conducting research, producing research outputs, and disseminating and mediating findings for different audiences.

First, he will explain the underlying architecture of modern LLMs and the implications of this design for HASS research. He will then consider how LLMs can support activities ranging from literature review, data preparation, and qualitative analysis to writing, revision, summarization, and translation. He will also explore key challenges, focusing on reliability, transparency, privacy, and the potential loss of scholarly agency. Finally, he will propose a human-centered future in which researchers use LLMs to extend their capabilities while retaining control over and responsibility for every stage of the research lifecycle.  

Open to all researchers, HDR candidates, and members of the public.

This 60 min talk will commence at 5pm and a 30 min discussion will follow.