This text has been translated from Norwegian with the assistance of GPT UiO.
– Which research project are you mostly working on now?
– I am initiating a new research project funded by the Research Council of Norway (FRIPRO programme). The project is titled "Artificial Intelligence: Growth, Inequalities, and Public Policies." This will be my main project focus in the coming years.
– What do you wish to find out?
– Artificial intelligence (AI) can have significant economic consequences. On the positive side, AI can contribute to scientific research, technological innovation, increased productivity, and economic growth. On the negative side, AI may also lead to automation of tasks and increased unemployment in certain professions, heightened market concentration, and widening income disparities.
– The project aims to investigate these conflicting economic impacts and study how public policy can help manage such trade-offs.
– Why is this important?
– Developments in AI are currently advancing at an astounding pace. For example, several new generative AI models have been commercialised in recent months. However, public regulations and support measures for AI are developing far more slowly. It is therefore critical that social science research on AI provides a more solid foundation for policy formulation in this area.
– Who are you collaborating with?
– In this project, I will collaborate with colleagues from the universities of Utrecht, Rome, and Sussex. In other projects, I have worked with partners at various universities in the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
– My research networks are primarily in European countries.
– What do you look for when choosing collaborators?
– It depends somewhat on the specific theme of the collaboration. Generally, I prefer to work with researchers who are in adjacent fields but possess expertise that I do not have.
– The ideal collaboration partner is therefore thematically close, but not too close. Each new partnership should offer the opportunity to learn something new—both for me and my collaborators.
– What other research projects are you involved in?
– Among other things, I am currently collaborating with colleagues at SSB on a project aimed at mapping innovation activities and knowledge collaboration within the Norwegian reaserch and development (R & D) network of publicly funded projects.
– We are analysing data on all innovation collaborations that have received public support in Norway over the past 20 years, to investigate whether—and to what extent—advanced knowledge spreads among research partners within the same R & D network.
– What do you find most interesting about being a researcher?
– I find it amazing to have the opportunity to observe the world from an external perspective and contribute with my understanding of societal challenges—and how these can be addressed and improved in the future.
– I am also grateful to be able to conduct this work in Norway, a research system that combines high quality and ambition with excellent working conditions and work environment.
– What is the most common question you receive about your job when you are with others?
– Since my area of interest is the study of "innovation," people outside of work often ask interesting questions about specific technologies or companies they are familiar with. They tend to expect me to know everything about various types of innovations in different organisations—but I do not.