NEH 20240214-RAI: 2024 Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence
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M. Mars (Department of Public and Applied Humanities)
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Research Programs has released a solicitation for the second competition of the Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Launched last year in response to the White House Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, NEH seeks to leverage outputs from their centers to spur and advance innovative and high-level research in the humanities or humanistic social sciences that will expand public knowledge about and engagement with discourse surrounding AI and the societal impacts of AI. The program supports NEH’s desire to further explore “the ethical, legal, or societal implications [ELSI] of AI,” and the solicitation specifically states interest in proposals that examine the intersections and interactions of AI-related technologies with salient social issues such as civil rights, privacy, and equity. NEH is also interested in proposals that explore the potential implications and impacts of AI-related technologies on “truth, trust, and democracy.”
Competitive applications will include detailed plans outlining the development, sustainment, and dissemination of the results of two research activities to advance research on ELSI for artificial intelligence, such as:
- “collaborative research and writing efforts;
- Workshops or lecture series;
- education and mentoring and;
- digital tools to increase or advance scholarly discourse about AI”
Additional deliverables that the Center should produce can be found in the full solicitation. NEH is especially interested in projects that continue to advance ongoing programs/Initiatives the NEH has already undertaken including, and not limited to, the Humanities Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence; American Tapestry Weaving Together Past, Present, and Future; and United We Stand: Connecting Through the Culture.
NEH announced the awardees for the first Humanities Research Centers on AI competition in August. Although the agency had originally planned to make two awards under that competition, five grants were awarded. Topics included AI democratization, Indigenous protocol for AI, AI and ethics, generative AI and creativity, and legal implications of visual AI.
Eligibility/Application Information: Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education and other 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Only one submission per institution is allowed. Applications must be led by humanities/humanistic social sciences scholars, though contribution and collaboration of multiple scholars and researchers is expected. While centers are not required to have a physical location, proposals should still include a detailed organization structure, mission statement/goals, and a strategy to sustain the center following the conclusion of the period of performance. NEH places priority and emphasis on U.S. Institutions, though international collaboration is accepted. Existing centers and institutes are not eligible to apply to this program.
Award Info: NEH plans to issue five awards of up to $500,000, plus an additional $250,000 in federal matching funds, for a three-year period. Applicants may propose up to a maximum of $200,000 per year.
Deadlines: Applications are due December 11, 2024. NEH program officers will review and provide feedback on draft proposals emailed to AICenters@neh.gov by October 2, 2024. Draft reviews are optional.
Sources and Additional Information:
- The full solicitation can be found on grants.gov under the opportunity number “20241211-RAI”
- Additional information on the program can be found here: https://www.neh.gov/program/humanities-research-centers-artificial-intelligence.
- Information on awarded projects from the first competition can be viewed here: https://www.neh.gov/news/neh-awards-272-million-create-ai-research-centers.