Whether in molecular biology, climate research, literary studies, or archaeology—virtually every field of science is affected by the rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI). Models that were still considered experimental just a few years ago have now become indispensable tools. The Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) would therefore like to know:

How is AI changing your scientific field?

Whether it involves identifying cultural patterns across millions of lines of text, predicting protein folding, or simulating high-resolution climate scenarios—AI detects structures in a matter of moments. But does this technology really provide new insights? Or does it tempt us to underestimate the complexity of scientific questions? At the same time, the need for quality control is growing. AI provides results—but no interpretation. It generates hypotheses—but no theory. And it makes mistakes, often in subtle ways.

OeAW President Heinz Fassmann states: “With this year’s prize question, we are addressing members of the scientific community. No field - whether in the natural sciences or the humanities - today remains untouched by the use of artificial intelligence. We want to understand: What do these changes look like? I look forward to receiving many submissions from across the disciplines.”

How is AI shaping science—and how do we shape our engagement with it?

The OeAW invites researchers from all disciplines to share their perspectives: What does AI mean for the methodology, creativity, and theoretical foundations of your field? What opportunities does it present, and what are its limitations?

The competition is open to individuals and groups; submissions may be written in either German or English. Essays with references, subject to a limit of 10,000–15,000 characters (including spaces) may be submitted until 30 April 2026.

An interdisciplinary jury will select the best entries, awarding €8,000 for first place, €6,000 for second place, and €2,000 for third place.

With this prize question, the OeAW continues a more than 250-year-old tradition in which academies have sought answers to the pressing challenges of their time.