Aalto University | PhD Position in Autotelic Creative Artificial Intelligence

Deadline

Please submit your application by Friday, 3rd April 2026. Ideal start: Summer / Autumn 2026.

The project

We are advertising a fully paid, 4-year (2+2) doctoral researcher position at Aalto University’s School of Science, Department of Computer Science, to work on the project “Autotelic Creative Artificial Intelligence” (ACAI).

Critical at its core, the ACAI project bridges artistic practice and theoretical AI/Human-Computer Interaction/Cognitive Science research to identify alternative and sustainable paths to mainstream creative AI. Rather than optimizing systems to replicate established human aesthetics or processes, we investigate the conditions under which AI might operate as a genuinely creative agent. Amongst other questions, we ask: Can AI be creative in its own right, rather than emulating human creativity? Can such AI be autotelic, i.e., define its own goals and methods of inquiry? Can it become independent of human data? What would it mean for creative AI to decouple from dependence on human-produced datasets and instead develop self-organizing, embodied and situated forms of learning/creating? How might creativity manifest beyond anthropocentric models of intention, authorship, and expression? How could such AI impact society positively/negatively?

The project will combine critical artistic work (PhD researcher) on potential AI futures with fundamental AI theory work (postdoctoral researcher – separate ad: https://bit.ly/46jFcvs) on concepts such as agency, autonomy and creativity. In close interaction, both lines of work can intersect and will inspire each other. We empower the candidate to guide AI research and facilitate a dialogue with other creatives and the wider public (e.g. via exhibitions, art commissions, and public engagement).

In doing so, ACAI aims to critically assess both the positively and negatively transformative societal implications of such systems, while contributing new theoretical, artistic, and technical frameworks for understanding creativity beyond the human realm. The focus is not on integrating AI with creative practices, but on shaping creative AI research.

The project is supported by collaborators and mobility partners Prof. Tom Froese (OIST), Prof. Jon McCormack (Monash University) and Prof. Takashi Ikegami (University of Tokyo).

The position

We seek a creative doctoral candidate who is intellectually and technologically curious, disciplinarily promiscuous, investigative in their research and who enjoys convening and dialoguing across genres led by their (post)humanist values and speculative practice. They have a background in media/art/design practice or theory and the demonstrated ability to critically engage with culturally sensitive topics and articulate their findings through practice and/or writing.

The ideal candidate is a reflective thinker and excellent communicator. They have the ability and motivation to engage in three core activities – in order of priority within the project:

1. Creative practice OR theory: They use their own artistic practice or a strong foundation in theory work to (a) inquisitively speculate about autotelic creative futures (incl. critical or dystopian), and (b) unlock knowledge in the overlapping fields relevant to ACAI (below).
2. Curation and public engagement: The candidate may support the curation of public exhibitions and artistic commissions, and facilitate data collection in public engagements.
3. Stewarding: The candidate may be guiding artists in the pursuit of commissioned practice and/or residencies to further the goals of the project.

While an existing and demonstrable creative practice OR theory work is a strict requirement, prior experience in curation and stewardship are considered merits to support the application. Although we encourage applicants to show interest in components (2) and (3), the project allows flexibility for a stronger focus on component (1).

Beyond realizing the roles above, the candidate should have the ability and commitment to engage with academic literature and contribute to scientific publications. They should have the openness to seek knowledge and articulate meaningful connections between a diverse range of relevant fields such as AI, cognitive science, psychology of creativity, human-computer interaction and ethics. The person we are seeking should be open to engaging with technology creatively and critically, but does not necessarily need a background in tech.

Throughout the project, the candidate will work closely with a postdoc and their supervisors. A co-supervisor from the School of Arts will be chosen to align with the specific candidate’s interests and skills. A partner from the School of Arts will be present in the application screening.

Location, Duties & Compensation

Aalto is located in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland. The applicant is expected to relocate.

The position is for 2+2 years, extended based on a standard mid-term progress evaluation. It is compensated with 3100.- for the first and 3500.- EUR/month for the second half of the position, complemented with an annual holiday bonus and comprehensive occupational healthcare benefits. Art / exhibition materials and artistic commissions are budgeted for in the project.

The candidate will become part of the Doctoral Programme of Science and is required to complete 30cr of additional studies (custom-selected courses and learning opportunities). They are expected to dedicate up to 5% of their time to teaching (e.g. lectures, teaching support, supervision of theses or artistic work), matched with their individual skills and research. Moreover, they are expected to engage in overseas travel (e.g. research collaborations and conferences).

For their net income, candidates can check out vero.fi calculators. For an overview of living costs in Finland and the Helsinki metropolitan area, see https://infofinland.fi/settling-in-finland.

How to apply

Please submit the following documents via our Workday system: click “apply”

• Cover letter (1 page, A4, 11pt): please motivate, without fabulation, your interest in this project and describe your fit to the job ad with reference to prior accomplishments as further detailed in further documents. Use emphasis for your key points.
• Portfolio: please include up to 5 of your most relevant artistic/academic works (links for videos) and a statement clarifying the relevance to the position (max 200 words/project).
• Up-to-date CV: incl. contact details of two academic/professional references (no letters).
• List of publications: not expected but please provide if applicable.

We encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds to apply, also if they do not have merits in all areas listed above.

Further Information

• For questions on the position: Christian Guckelsberger (christian.guckelsberger@aalto.fi)
• For HR-related questions: hr-cs@aalto.fi
• Autotelic Interaction Research Group: www.autotelic.science
• School of Arts: https://bit.ly/4rx2V3j

We are looking forward to your application! Please do not hesitate to contact us for any potential clarification.

Application and more details: https://aalto.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/PrivateJobPosting/job/Tietotekniikan-talo/PhD-Position-in-Creative-Practices–fully-paid–2-2-years–Project–Autotelic-Creative-Artificial-Intelligence–ACAI-_R45759