News

New Research Project Investigates the Human Impact of AI and Automation

22 July, 2026

A major new research project, "New Technologies and Transformations of Education, Research and Labour Market," has been launched under the Programme Jan Amos Comenius (OP JAK) to explore how digital advancements are reshaping Czech society.

Led by Professor Štěpán Jurajda (CERGE-EI), the project is a rare large-scale initiative dedicated specifically to the social sciences and humanities, fields that have historically seen less public funding than the natural sciences. As Jurajda notes, "It allows the social sciences and humanities to address important societal questions" that are vital for both economic development and democracy.

The research spans three key areas: education, the scientific environment, and the labor market. In the classroom, investigators are conducting large-scale field pilots to determine if tailored AI tools can enhance student learning beyond traditional grades. Rather than just providing "black box" answers, the project tests whether specific AI applications can foster non-cognitive skills. Jurajda explains that "The aim is to support creativity and test the idea that AI can be used in a particular way to make people more creative, open to new ideas".

A significant portion of the project investigates the formation of digital capital and its role in social inequality. Researchers are analyzing whether gender differences emerge in how young students engage with technology and if these disparities later contribute to the low participation of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. By understanding these dynamics, the project aims to help universities and schools maximize national talent without creating unnecessary gender gaps in the workforce.

On the economic front, the study examines the impact of automation on wages and employment. While there is often a fear of displacement, evidence suggests that firms adopting robots often succeed in retaining their workers, whereas those that fail to innovate are eventually squeezed out of the market. The project also explores how public subsidies and tax policies influence technological adoption and how AI-assisted systems might help the unemployed find jobs more efficiently.

Despite its ambitious scope, the project faces hurdles regarding access to anonymized Czech government data, which the researchers argue is essential for evidence-based policymaking. Nevertheless, the team, which includes partners such as the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, PAQ Research, and Scio Research, remains focused on producing results by 2028. Their goal is to provide a comprehensive view of how the Czech Republic can navigate the technological "shocks" of the coming decade.

Read the full interview here.