Romance studies professor bridges humanities and AI
Romance studies professor bridges humanities and AI
https://www.unc.edu/posts/2026/03/13/romance-studies-professor-bridges-humanities-and-ai/
Publish Date: 2026-03-13 08:53:00
Source Domain: www.unc.edu
- Philological Background and Transition: Professor Lucia Binotti initially focused on philology, studying ancient languages and texts. After the philology doctoral program was discontinued, she shifted her focus to material and cultural history, incorporating digital tools, including AI.
- Innovative Teaching and Research: Binotti developed a digital platform, DHPressRome, for a study abroad program on the cultural history of the Renaissance in Rome, incorporating modern technology and digital humanities.
- Integration of AI in the Humanities: Binotti has shifted from isolated AI experiments to integrating AI into humanistic inquiry, creating framework ConteXRt to guide students in contextualizing, experimenting, articulating, reimagining, and transforming cultural knowledge using AI.
- Collaborative Approach: She emphasizes interdisciplinary collaborations, working with various departments and universities to blend digital humanities with other fields like virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI.
- Teaching and Workshops: In 2022, Binotti started using ChatGPT in her courses and has since been leading workshops to demystify AI, especially in non-English language traditions, aiming to integrate AI ethically in teaching and research.
- Ethical Use of AI: Binotti believes that humanists can guide the ethical use of AI, emphasizing the need to contextualize AI within historical, linguistic, and cultural frameworks.
- Grants and Recognition: She has received several grants and recognitions for her work in digital humanities, including support from the Center for Faculty Excellence, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- Future Plans and Impact: Binotti plans to continue her mentorship and workshops to help other humanists understand AI’s potential and responsibilities, focusing on contextualizing AI into cultural knowledge.
