On 9 April, the Law Faculty of the Vilnius University (VU) was awarded the Lithuanian-American Innovation Social Impact Award for a project contributing to solutions and positive change in the social field. This recognition was given to the project “AI knowledge twins” led by the Faculty’s senior lecturer, Dr Paulius Jurčys, and PhD Goda Strikaitė-Latušinskaja, which, for the first time in the world, has integrated digital counterparts of teachers into the learning process. The award was taken by Assoc. Prof. Dr Vigita Vėbraitė, Dean for Studies of the VU Law Faculty.
“The DI Knowledge Twins were developed in cooperation between the VU Law Faculty and the US technology company Prifina Inc. The results of this project are “Paul AI” and “Goda AI” – virtual twins of P. Jurčys and G. Strikaitė-Latušinskaja, to whom law students can ask questions related to the subject they are studying, ask for clarification, and thus delve more deeply into the subject on their own.
“This project and the award prove that law studies can be innovative and adaptable to a changing society,” said V. Vėbraitė when receiving the award for the Law Faculty. It is noted that the ability to get an answer at any time, using the AI twin of the lecturer knowledge, has helped to reduce the anxiety felt by the law students, increase their self-confidence, and improve their AI literacy skills while at the same time improving their critical thinking skills. In addition, it was observed that students’ engagement in the discussions during lessons has increased.
G. Strikaitė-Latušinskaja states that this award shows that law studies can meet the needs of the modern student. “Artificial intelligence knowledge twins are just one example of how technology can contribute to significant changes in education. This is an encouragement for our entire community to continue to develop, aiming for such tools to become assistants for both students and everyone seeking knowledge and personal growth,” the lecturer is convinced.
Organisators of Lithuanian-American Innovations Awards: Baltic-American Freedom Foundation, United States Embassy in Lithuania, Innovation Agency Lithuania, Lithuanian Academy of Science.