Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the conditions under which historical research is conducted. Large language models, automated source transcription, and semantic search tools are increasingly becoming part of everyday scholarly practice. These developments are no longer confined to the specialised field of Digital History but affect all areas of historical research.
This transformation requires historians to reconsider what constitutes the indispensable core of the discipline and how the skills associated with it can continue to be taught. Will students working under these new conditions still be able to develop fully the competences required by the historian’s craft? How will we conduct research in the coming decades, and how will we teach? What opportunities does the use of artificial intelligence offer, and what methodological, intellectual, and ethical risks does it entail?
The workshop takes a deliberately anticipatory perspective: it invites participants to take a step back and reflect on how the growing use of new tools and workflows is likely to reshape historical scholarship over the coming years and decades – and what opportunities, risks, and choices this raises for the discipline.
Contributions may address either practical and application-oriented questions concerning the use of AI tools by historians of all fields in research and teaching, or more conceptual reflections on what these developments mean for the discipline as a whole.
The workshop will be organised around two thematic panels: one devoted to historical research and the other to teaching. Particular attention will be given to the experiences and needs of historians who do not primarily identify as Digital Historians but who are increasingly confronted with AI-supported research environments.
To apply, please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words, together with a short biographical note including research interests, past and current academic affiliations, and key publications by 20 September 2026.
Presentations should not exceed 20 minutes. Work in progress is welcome. The working languages of the workshop will be English and German.