This event is hosted by the Princeton University Graduate School as part of the 2025 GradFUTURES Forum, a weeklong professional development conference for graduate students offering opportunities for meaningful professional growth and exploration of futures within and beyond the academy. This session is co-sponsored by the G.S. Beckwith Gilbert ’63 Lecture Series.

As artificial intelligence rapidly emerges as a potential research tool, this forward-looking session examines how AI might reshape creative thinking and innovation in doctoral research. Professor Arvind Narayanan, the co-author of AI Snake Oil(Link is external) will explore critical questions about integrating AI into scholarly work:

- Could AI tools enhance or inhibit the development of novel research questions?

- What are the implications for theoretical creativity and methodological innovation?

- How might AI affect the uniquely human aspects of academic discovery and insight?

Drawing from their research experiences, Graduate School Dean Rodney Priestley and Professor Narayanan will examine their hopes and concerns about AI's role in doctoral work, from literature analysis to hypothesis generation to interdisciplinary collaboration. This talk and fireside chat aims to help graduate students thoughtfully navigate decisions about AI adoption while preserving (or expanding) the creative core  of scholarly research. Join us for a proactive conversation about preparing for AI's impact on the next generation of academic innovation.

To request accommodations for this or any event, please contact the organizer or the GradFUTURES team(Link sends email) at least three working days prior to the event.

Sponsorship of an event does not constitute institutional endorsement of external speakers or views presented.