The research project “BiKiEthics – The understanding of education in the context of AI in higher‑education organisations – an ethical perspective” was carried out by the Institute for Systematic Theology and Ethics, Department of Social Ethics, at the University of Vienna. It was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the grant number 16DHBQP055 and concluded on 31 December 2022, with the final report published on 28 June 2023. The principal investigators were Alexander Filipovic and Noreen Van Elk.
The project set out to investigate how the increasing digitalisation and the deployment of AI‑based technologies in university teaching and administration are reshaping the concept of education and what this means for the ethical assessment of such technologies. The central research question was: “How does the use of AI in higher‑education organisations influence our understanding of education, and what implications does a shift in that understanding have for the ethical evaluation of these technologies?” The study was positioned within a broader debate that recognises the need for a critical‑ethical dialogue to accompany the rapid technological change in academia.
Methodologically, the project combined a systematic literature review with empirical data collection. First, a comprehensive review of the existing scholarship on AI in education was conducted, focusing on the historical and contemporary elements that constitute a modern understanding of education. This review identified key dimensions such as the purpose of education, the role of competencies, organisational forms, and underlying conceptions of the human person. Simultaneously, the researchers catalogued AI technologies already in use within universities, providing an overview of the current landscape.
Building on these findings, the team performed a qualitative analysis of the implicit educational assumptions that underpin the design and application of AI tools in higher‑education settings. This was followed by semi‑structured interviews with experts and focus‑group discussions with students to capture perceptions of AI’s impact on education. An interdisciplinary workshop held on 7–8 November 2022 brought together scholars from educational science, philosophy, and educational technology to discuss preliminary results and refine the analytical framework.
The results revealed a discernible shift in the educational focus brought about by AI integration. The emphasis on the subjective, human‑centric dimension of learning appears to be weakening, giving way to a more utilitarian, data‑driven perspective. Participants generally viewed AI developments positively, yet they identified privacy and data‑security concerns as the primary ethical issues. Importantly, experts noted that the traditional educational paradigms they are accustomed to are being challenged, and they expressed both apprehension and advocacy for a fundamental transformation of the educational concept in light of AI. The synthesis of the literature review and empirical data confirmed the hypothesis that technological change is closely linked to evolving educational understandings, underscoring the necessity of incorporating these shifts into any ethical framework for AI in higher education.
No quantitative performance metrics were reported in the study; the findings are qualitative and interpretive. The project’s interdisciplinary nature—drawing on expertise from theology, philosophy, and educational technology—illustrates the value of cross‑disciplinary collaboration in addressing complex ethical questions. The partnership between the University of Vienna and external researchers, supported by the BMBF, enabled a comprehensive examination of both the theoretical foundations and practical implications of AI in university contexts. The final report, comprising a short and a long version, documents the project’s contributions to the ongoing discourse on responsible AI deployment in higher education.