Artificial Intelligence and ‘learning regions’: an outline to a research adventure
Abstract
Can we usefully improve the understanding of a ‘learning (knowledge) region’ by using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) metaphor?
Could one capture the dynamics of a learning, intelligent, society in a geographical or a functional form with an analytical approach like the Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Specifically, could this approach, as a metaphorical example, contribute to the understanding of the functioning of the learning (LR) or knowledge regions. Simultaneously, with the focus on the issues raised, this is also an experiment in lateral thinking where two academic fields through two researchers meet for the first time and this process could in itself be of value for further elaboration.
One of the first questions that follows the one of whether is how we identify or recognise this, and then turn to the where and when. Quite a challenge! If the answer is a (still hesitant) yes – an accompanying question, in that line of thought, is if the exercise is worthwhile ? If this also results in a positive answer, the next step will be to define or, at least discuss, how far we can take the process and what the limits are to our efforts. Our hypothesis is that the comparison and mirror image between the two entrances is worthwhile as a new way of looking, scrutinizing an important societal development factor and process and, at the same time, trying out a scientific toolbox called AI in a new environment.