This summer, 24 young talents have been given a unique opportunity at Chalmers: to explore artificial intelligence and the potential it offers within an organisation. “It’s only natural for a university to explore future opportunities and functions – in this case, with the help of our brilliant students,” says project leader Per Olof Arnäs.
The 24 summer workers were recruited through an extensive application process – supported by AI – and will spend the summer investigating possible solutions or methods for 24 different projects that could benefit Chalmers’ professional services. The project ideas were identified through workshops with Chalmers employees, based on current needs.
The summer workers have been divided into six teams, each taking on four projects. Beyond that, they have been given very little instruction – intentionally so. The task is to test ideas freely, without limitations. “This is an exploratory project. We point them in a direction, then tell them to run as fast as they can and have as much fun as possible,” says Per Olof Arnäs.
Each project is also supported by a group of stakeholders from the organisation, providing frameworks, perspectives and input.
Trial and error
The aim is to gain deeper insights into Chalmers’ needs by experimenting, hitting dead ends, or discovering unexpected solutions. Some of the projects may be taken further by Chalmers’ IT Office once the summer jobs end in August. There is also a possibility that some students may continue working alongside their studies. “Some projects will turn out to be minor issues – they might be solved in just a few days. Some ideas are good but prove impossible to implement. Many projects are not about building tools but about building procurement competence at Chalmers – understanding how to move forward and what to ask for in future procurements,” says Per Olof Arnäs.
The summer workers come from both Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg, with a wide range of backgrounds – from programming and engineering to mathematics and cognitive science.
Opportunity to be creative
Amanda Öberg has studied cognitive science in Umeå and has just completed the first
year of her Master’s in Human-Centred AI at the University of Gothenburg. “This summer job is a perfect opportunity for me to work with what I study – how we interact with technology and how it affects us. What I like most is that our projects are meant to be used in a university setting. That makes them more multidimensional, more human-centred and interdisciplinary.”
The biggest difference from studying, she says, is the freedom. “When you study, there’s a predefined path – even if you have some flexibility, the outcome is already determined. Here, we’re encouraged to shift focus from delivery to possibility. It’s a great opportunity to be more creative.”
“We learn to complement each other”
Filip Berntsson, a mathematics student at the University of Gothenburg, took part in last year’s pilot version of the project, which only included four students. He has since continued working part-time on the results of that project, and returning this summer was an easy decision. “It’s almost hard to believe what a luxury project this is – and this year is even more fun with more of us involved. The best part is working with people who have completely different backgrounds and ways of seeing things. It creates a ‘here’s what I know – what about you?’ atmosphere and leads to lots of valuable exchanges,” he says.
It’s these different perspectives and skills that drive the work forward, Filip Berntsson believes. “When I, with my knowledge of language models, think I’m done, a colleague with a different skill set might spot several other things that need to be addressed. It’s not a competition – we learn to complement each other and listen.”
Facts / The AI project
This summer’s projects are grouped into six domains, such as Smart Campus, Data Exploit, and 10xIndividual (personal productivity). Each domain consists of four separate areas to explore. Four summer workers are assigned to each domain and are responsible for organising the work entirely on their own.