PhD in Open-Ended AI : Novel Methods for Enabling Novelty and Creativity in AI Systems

PhD in Open-Ended AI : Novel Methods for Enabling Novelty and Creativity in AI Systems

PhD in Open-Ended AI : Novel Methods for Enabling Novelty and Creativity in AI Systems

A Doctoral Research Fellowship in Open-Ended Artificial Intelligence is available at the Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics at Østfold University College (ØUC).

The Doctoral Research Fellow will contribute to ongoing research on Novel Methods for Enabling Novelty and Creativity in AI Systems. This may include working with Neural Cellular Automata, Abstraction and Reasoning, Bio-Inspired and Neuro-Inspired AI, Artificial Evolutionary and Developmental Systems, Alignment, Social Learning and Cultural Evolution, and other Artificial Life techniques.

The doctoral position is part of the research initiative “The Digital Society” at ØUC.

Human creativity faces unprecedented challenges but also opportunities due to generative AI, understood here as machine systems that can produce novel and creative results. Several important questions are raised : to what extent are generative AI systems genuinely creative? How do they differ from human and biological creativity? To what extent can AI systems abstract and reason? How can we enable AI to become more open-ended and therefore able to generate novel and creative outcomes that go beyond what they observed as part of their training data? Furthermore, how can creative AI systems produce novel outcomes that are aligned with our ethical and societal standards?

This PhD project will focus on basic research and will explore if and how systems can autonomously set and pursue novel goals, adapt to new challenges, and continue learning over time, while remaining aligned to ethical and societal values. Weight will be placed in developing non-obtrusive ways to interface with the human creative process with a focus on real-time interactions.

This PhD position, hosted and financed by the Østfold University College, will be part of the MishMash centre. MishMash is one of the 6 national AI centres and will conduct research at the intersection of AI and creativity. The PhD student is therefore expected to actively participate in the relevant activities of the MishMash centre.

About Research fellowship

The Doctoral Research Fellowship is a full time (100%) fixed term position for 3 years funded by Østfold University College.

The candidate will be employed at Østfold University College. The candidate is expected to apply and be accepted in our Doctoral Programme “Digitalisation and Society”. Read more on our website : Digitalisation and Society

Estimated starting date : January 1 2026 (flexible, earlier or later dates may be possible)

The candidate is expected to :

• actively take part in inter- and multi-disciplinary research activities relevant to AI Hub hosted by Østfold University College.
• disseminate research results on the project through high-quality scientific publications.

About the position

A Doctoral Research Fellowship in Open-Ended Artificial Intelligence is available at the Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics at Østfold University College (ØUC).

The Doctoral Research Fellow will contribute to ongoing research on Novel Methods for Enabling Novelty and Creativity in AI Systems. This may include working with Neural Cellular Automata, Abstraction and Reasoning, Bio-Inspired and Neuro-Inspired AI, Artificial Evolutionary and Developmental Systems, Alignment, Social Learning and Cultural Evolution, and other Artificial Life techniques.

The doctoral position is part of the research initiative “The Digital Society” at ØUC.

Project description

Human creativity faces unprecedented challenges but also opportunities due to generative AI, understood here as machine systems that can produce novel and creative results. Several important questions are raised : to what extent are generative AI systems genuinely creative? How do they differ from human and biological creativity? To what extent can AI systems abstract and reason? How can we enable AI to become more open-ended and therefore able to generate novel and creative outcomes that go beyond what they observed as part of their training data? Furthermore, how can creative AI systems produce novel outcomes that are aligned with our ethical and societal standards?

This PhD project will focus on basic research and will explore if and how systems can autonomously set and pursue novel goals, adapt to new challenges, and continue learning over time, while remaining aligned to ethical and societal values. Weight will be placed in developing non-obtrusive ways to interface with the human creative process with a focus on real-time interactions.

This PhD position, hosted and financed by the Østfold University College, will be part of the MishMash centre. MishMash is one of the 6 national AI centres and will conduct research at the intersection of AI and creativity. The PhD student is therefore expected to actively participate in the relevant activities of the MishMash centre.

About Research fellowship

The Doctoral Research Fellowship is a full time (100%) fixed term position for 3 years funded by Østfold University College.

The candidate will be employed at Østfold University College. The candidate is expected to apply and be accepted in our Doctoral Programme “Digitalisation and Society”. Read more on our website : Digitalisation and Society

Estimated starting date : January 1 2026 (flexible, earlier or later dates may be possible)

The candidate is expected to :

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Qualification requirements

The successful candidate is required to have

Desired qualifications

Emphasis will be placed on the following

In the evaluation of the applicants, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.

Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on the following :

We offer

Submitting an application

Please submit your application electronically via our recruitment system Jobbnorge.no. All attached documentation must be in a Scandinavian language or in English.

Application must include the following :

All attachments should be included electronically within the application deadline. Other documentation may be claimed at a later stage, e.g., proof of claimed English proficiency.

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Admission and appointment

Admission to the doctoral programme Digitalisation and Society is a condition for appointment as a research fellow. The final plan for research training shall be approved and regulated by contract at the latest three months after the appointment is taken up.

The successful candidate will receive assistance in the application process to the PhD programme Digitalisation and Society at Østfold University College when starting in the position.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the State Employees law, the act relating to Universities and Universities Colleges and the national guidelines for appointment as a PhD student, a postdoctoral fellow or a research assistant.

Contact persons

You are strongly encouraged to contact the main supervisor for a discussion about the position, relevant references and the project. For other information, please contact the Vice-Dean or the advisors :

Other information

The university college is committed to fostering a diverse and gender-balanced workforce. We seek employees with diverse skills, academic backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in their CVs, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups for an interview.

In accordance with the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25, paragraph 2, information about the applicant may be disclosed even if the applicant has requested not to be included on the list of applicants.

If you disclose that you have an immigrant background, disability, or gaps in your CV, this information, in anonymized form, may be used for statistical purposes.

The Digital Society is our largest priority area of research, where we explore the interaction between digitalisation and society from various theoretical perspectives and develop new responsible digital technology. Our other priority area of research is Language in Learning, which aims to enhance collaboration across language disciplines and create conditions for a diverse research and teaching environment.

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