AI efficiency with human agency: FBE launches BehavAI Lab

The Faculty of Business and Economics has today launched the BehavAI Lab, which will research how humans can use AI to strengthen their performance, autonomy and human agency.

Grounded firmly in behavioural science, the Lab will support the responsible and ethical use of AI while striving to produce causal evidence, not just commentary, about the effects AI can have on society.

The Lab’s core team will be led by Associate Professor Greg Nyilasy and spans across the faculty, including Dr Alex Belli, Dr Yi-Lin Tsai, Dr Tom Whitford and Dr Nitin Yadav.

“AI will reshape everyday decision-making and organisational life. The crucial question is whether it makes people more capable, or quietly less,” says Associate Professor Nyilasy.

“BehavAI Lab is built to produce rigorous, causal evidence on how to design AI tools and human+AI workflows that help people thrive—at work and in life.”

The lab will rely heavily on randomise controlled trials, complemented by big data, novel multimodal data and advanced analytic methods.

Four connected research themes will underpin the lab's focus, reflecting areas that are mostly like to be affected by AI.

• Organisations: How organisations can use AI optimally for transformation in productivity, engagement, wellbeing and innovation.
• Consumers: How AI can empower consumer decisions, and increase confidence, literacy, misinformation resilience and ethical consumption.
• Society: How society can act responsibly and ethically when using AI to encourage bias mitigation, inclusion, and empowerment for underrepresented communities.
• Learning: How can be used to fast-track human learning and drive innovation and equity.