Mannheim's AI Innovations: Transforming Study Orientation with Thilo Dieing

Mannheim, a city renowned for its innovation and academic excellence, is making strides in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) through the efforts of researchers like Thilo Dieing. As part of the Chair of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Mannheim, Dieing is at the forefront of AI research aimed at enhancing study orientation for students. This initiative not only highlights Mannheim's commitment to educational advancement but also its role in pioneering AI applications in academia.

Thilo Dieing, a social data scientist working under Prof. Heiner Stuckenschmidt at the University of Mannheim, is spearheading research focused on AI-supported study orientation. By developing chatbots and machine learning models, Dieing aims to improve the alignment between students and their chosen fields of study, thereby reducing dropout rates. The NEST-BW project, in which Dieing plays a crucial role, utilizes generative AI to assist prospective students by providing personalized study recommendations based on their interests and abilities.

Before joining the NEST-BW initiative, Thilo Dieing contributed to the TransforMA project. This project involved the development of 'Foodle,' an audio-based, multilingual recipe chatbot. The experience gained through TransforMA has significantly informed Dieing's current work, showcasing the potential of AI to address complex challenges such as language analysis and user engagement in educational contexts.

A key component of Dieing's research is making AI methods and their decisions explainable, known as XAI. This aspect is vital for ensuring the safe and effective use of AI tools in educational settings. By utilizing natural language processing (NLP) and optimizing large language models (LLMs), the team at Mannheim is not only enhancing the functionality of their AI systems but also ensuring transparency in how decisions are made.