The University of Freiburg publishes its AI Policy for Research

The University of Freiburg has published an AI policy on the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) in research. The policy is designed to raise researchers’ awareness of how to use genAI thoughtfully and responsibly, as well as offering guidelines and recommendations for certain AI tools and helping to minimise the risks of using AI.

“We are proactively shaping the attractive research environment at the University of Freiburg with our AI policy, and ensuring that it remains flexible and adaptable with regard to new technologies such as genAI. In this way we continue to enable first-class research.“

Prof. Dr. Stefan Rensing

Vice Rector for Research and Innovation and acting Chief information Officer (CIO), University of Freiburg

Sustainable cutting-edge research with genAI

“We are proactively shaping the attractive research environment at the University of Freiburg with our AI policy, and ensuring that it remains flexible and adaptable with regard to new technologies such as genAI. In this way we continue to enable first-class research,” says Prof. Dr. Stefan Rensing, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation and acting Chief information Officer (CIO) at the University of Freiburg. “So the AI policy is about raising awareness and enabling, not banning. Its aim is not to restrict our researchers in their use of generative AI but on the contrary to encourage and empower them.”

Recommendations for use of genAI

Developed under the guidance of Rensing, the policy covers not only a description of the opportunities and risks of AI use, especially in-depth recommendations for academics at the University of Freiburg, for example on researchers’ responsibility for the data generated by AI, on the mandatory identification of AI use, on avoiding biases, on authorship in connection with AI but also information about ethical questions and compliance with legal requirements. It offers information on data-protection-compliant opportunities for AI use as well as about further international statutory provisions and guidelines such as the EU AI Act, which was passed in 2024.

Training and information for university staff

“The University of Freiburg places massive importance on promoting the AI literacy of its staff in every area – whether research, teaching, learning, administration or education,” says Rensing. Therefore, in order to provide employees and students with the ideal preparation for the use of AI tools, it is offering two online courses, which can be taken independently. The two modules offer an introduction to genAI, explain the opportunities and challenges of AI use and data protection aspects and show how genAI can be used responsibly.

Employees can find all important information about the use of AI on the university intranet, e.g. a list of available AI tools that can be used in compliance with data protection via the University of Freiburg and the open-source web applications HAWKI and Galaxy. This includes in particular Large Language Models, i.e. text-generating tools, but also text-to-image tools, data analysis and classification tools, speech recognition tools and much more.

Guidelines are currently being developed for the use of AI-based tools in teaching and learning as well as for administration.