Funding

Self-funded

Project code

OS&P5021025

Department

School of Organisations, Systems, and People

Start dates

October, February and April

Application deadline

Applications accepted all year round

Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project.

The PhD will be based in the School of Organizations, Systems and People within the Faculty of Business and Law and will be supervised by Dr Aamir Amin,  Dr Zeeshan Bhatti and Professor Mark Xu.

The work on this project could involve:

  • Interdisciplinary research across social science, psychology and Artificial Intelligence 
  • A critical and thorough examination of the status of research and practice in the domain
  • Development theoretical constructs and model 
  • Publishing of top-quality journals/international conference and developing relevant grant application

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into daily life is becoming increasingly common. However, alongside these advancements, there exists a complex web of perceptions, narratives, and imaginaries surrounding its adoption and implications. These public perceptions are influenced by various stakeholders, including media companies, governments, celebrities, and researchers. According to Sartori and Bocca (2023), individuals' attitudes play a crucial role in shaping the sociotechnical imaginaries that drive technological advancement. For example, public perceptions significantly influence the development of military robotics and associated regulations (Lin et al., 2008). Similarly, diverse social groups have shaped the decentralized network infrastructure of the internet since the 1970s (Levy 1984; Barbrook & Cameron, 1995). Understanding public perception is essential for AI developers to comprehend the values of end-users and address their concerns (Sartori & Bocca, 2023). Additionally, hopes and fears regarding AI scenarios significantly shape public attitudes towards the technology (Cave & Dihal, 2019). Exploring the social aspects of AI is crucial, including understanding how individuals embrace new technologies and how their perceptions evolve (Sartori & Bocca, 2023). This can provide insights into the intricate relationship between technology and society. Moreover, the public's perception of AI is crucial in determining its deployment, development, and regulation (Cave & Dihal, 2019).

According to Chan and Lee (2023), Gen Z's traits are molded by advancements in information technologies, social changes, and economic uncertainties.  With AI leapfrogging in their era, it is more than obvious that Generation Z will determine the usage, adoption, application and even the policy related to AI in different spheres of life. 

Based on the above and drawing upon insights from various scholarly works, including Sartori and Theodorou (2022), Lin et al. (2008), and Cave and Dihal (2019), this research seeks to address the critical need for understanding how the Gen Z perceives AI and how these perceptions may influence its future trajectory. The research will have significant implications for policymakers, AI developers as well as the general public. 

 

References

Sartori, L., & Bocca, G. (2023). Minding the gap (s): public perceptions of AI and socio-technical imaginaries. AI & society, 38(2), 443-458. 

Lin, P., Bekey, G., & Abney, K. (2008). Autonomous military robotics: Risk, ethics, and design.

Levy S (1984) Hackers: heroes of the computer revolution. Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City

Cave, S., & Dihal, K. (2019). Hopes and fears for intelligent machines in fiction and reality. Nature machine intelligence, 1(2), 74-78.

Barbrook, R., & Cameron, A. (1996). The californian ideology. Science as culture, 6(1), 44-72.

Chan, C. K. Y., & Lee, K. K. (2023). The AI generation gap: Are Gen Z students more interested in adopting generative AI such as ChatGPT in teaching and learning than their Gen X and millennial generation teachers?. Smart Learning Environments, 10(1), 60.

Sartori, L., & Theodorou, A. (2022). A sociotechnical perspective for the future of AI: narratives, inequalities, and human control. Ethics and Information Technology, 24(1), 4.

 

Fees and funding

Visit the research subject area page for fees and funding information for this project.

Funding availability: Self-funded PhD students only. 

PhD full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the UK  (UK and EU students only – eligibility criteria apply).

Bench fees

Some PhD projects may include additional fees – known as bench fees – for equipment and other consumables, and these will be added to your standard tuition fee. Speak to the supervisory team during your interview about any additional fees you may have to pay. Please note, bench fees are not eligible for discounts and are non-refundable.

Entry Requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognized university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an Information Systems/Information Technology/Social Sciences. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

Candidates with some knowledge of social science studies are preferred. 


 

 

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Aaamir Amin (aamir.amin@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, please follow the 'Apply now' link on the Business and Management PhD subject area page and select the link for the relevant intake. Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV. Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process. 

Please also include a research proposal of 1,000 words outlining the main features of your proposed research design – including how it meets the stated objectives, the challenges this project may present, and how the work will build on or challenge existing research in the above field. 

When applying please quote project code:OS&P5021025