Bocconi and OpenAI Join Forces to Transform AI in the Social Sciences

Bocconi is the first university in Italy to offer specialized AI for universities to all 17,000 students, professors and staff. Joining prestigious research universities from around the world, Bocconi is among the first in Europe to sign an agreement with OpenAI which includes equitable access to best-in-class AI tools and to support research efforts in areas such as social sciences and agentic AI. 

From a research standpoint, the core of this initiative is a focus on developing and applying agentic AI systems to transform how social science researchers construct, test, and apply theories. The collaboration will initially focus on three areas in which Bocconi is already active: 

1. AI for theory-building and simulation – Developing AI agents using economic, managerial, and policy theories to simulate behaviour, conduct experiments, and generate insights for academic and real-world applications. 

2. Concept measurement from unstructured data – Using advanced AI models to quantify abstract constructs such as scientific rigor, behavioral traits, or narratives in large-scale text, video, and other unstructured data sources. 

3. Personalising education – Creating intelligent assistants for students to help them formulate and explore research questions to shift the classroom experience towards interactive learning. 

“Bocconi’s mission has always been to combine rigorous methods and state-of-the-art data with impact,” said Francesco Billari, Rector of Bocconi University. “This collaboration with OpenAI reaffirms our role at the frontier of research and education, where artificial intelligence will contribute to enhancing the educational experience and shaping the decision-making landscape of the future. On Bocconi side, this has only been possible thanks to the invaluable advise of Vittorio Colao, member of our Executive Committee and Co-Chair of the International Advisory Council, and Dirk Hovy, Dean for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence”.

This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to the vision outlined in OpenAI’s recent EU Economic Blueprint, which emphasizes the importance of strong academic collaborations to unlock AI’s economic and societal potential in Europe. 

“AI is opening new possibilities in education by enabling personalised learning, accelerating academic research, and enhancing faculty productivity”, said Leah Belsky, VP and GM of Education at OpenAI. “By providing access to our leading AI tools across its organisation, Bocconi is not only at the forefront of advancing social science, but preparing students and staff for an AI future."

With this collaboration, Bocconi advance its position in ethically developing and using AI to drive discovery and learning across disciplines, while ensuring that AI tools will be effectively used to enhance critical thinking and to positively contribute to societal progress.