Applications are open for the Polyfoni Social Sciences for AI Fellowship 2026-2027 - a four-month, part-time, remote research collaboration for social scientists with fieldwork experience in regions where AI products are being deployed.
Fellows join from November 2026 to March 2027 and conduct a cultural audit of a real AI product in their region of expertise. Applications are reviewed rolling until 15 October 2026.
This Opportunity Station guide is original copy based on the official Polyfoni fellowship page. It is not a reprint of any third-party blog.
Quick Facts - Polyfoni Social Sciences for AI Fellowship
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Programme | Polyfoni Social Sciences for AI Fellowship 2026-2027 |
| Organiser | Polyfoni (Oslo, Norway) |
| Duration | 4 months part-time (~5 hours/week) |
| Dates | November 2026 - March 2027 |
| Format | Remote |
| Focus | Cultural audit of a real AI product using Polyfoni’s method |
| Deadline | 15 October 2026 (rolling) |
| Contact | contact@polyfoni.no |
| Official page | polyfoni.no - SSAI Fellowship |
| Apply | Online application form |
Why This Fellowship Exists
AI products encode social science problems at every layer - from English-heavy training data to Global South contexts underrepresented in datasets. Social scientists bring methods AI teams need: extended observation, contextual inquiry, and cross-cultural analysis. Polyfoni builds a structured pathway to apply that expertise to products affecting the communities fellows study.
What Fellows Work On
Each fellow conducts a cultural audit: how a specific AI product encodes assumptions about its deployment context, and where those assumptions break. The method covers assumption mapping, contextual failure identification, severity assessment, and recommendations.
Output: a product-team-facing report published on Polyfoni’s channels under the fellow’s name. Audit targets should be real AI products in regions where the fellow has genuine fieldwork knowledge (e.g. health chatbots in East Africa, agricultural AI in West Africa, LLMs in non-English-dominant markets).
Benefits
- Dual mentorship (academic collaborator + AI industry professional)
- Training in Polyfoni’s Cultural Audit Method
- Online masterclasses and monthly group sessions (with partner AI Mission Lab)
- Published research under your name (Polyfoni / Making AI Listen open access)
- Career conversations with mentors and the Polyfoni network
Eligibility
- Humanities and social sciences applicants (anthropology, sociology, STS, development studies, political science, area studies, and related fields)
- MSc/PhD students and early-career researchers welcome
- Fieldwork experience preferred (esp. Global South); prior AI experience not required
- Priority regions: East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, China
- Clear motivation + concrete AI product audit idea; ~5 hours/week commitment
- Comfortable working in English (additional languages an advantage)
How to Apply
- Read the official Polyfoni SSAI Fellowship page.
- Step 1: Submit a short application with motivation (max 500 words) via the online form. Successful candidates are contacted for CV review.
- Step 2: Interview and research discussion with the Polyfoni team.
- Apply early - submissions are rolling until 15 October 2026. Early-career and Global South scholars are particularly encouraged.
Official Links
Apply - Polyfoni fellowship form
Related Opportunities on Opportunity Station
- MAIA AISF Fellowship Fall 2026
- Perplexity Research Fellowship 2027
- NSF IAIFI Fellowship 2027-2030
- Browse all fellowships
FAQs - Polyfoni Social Sciences for AI Fellowship
When is the deadline?
15 October 2026 (applications accepted on a rolling basis until then).
Is it remote?
Yes - fully remote, November 2026 to March 2027, about 5 hours per week.
Do I need AI experience?
No. Fieldwork and social science methods matter more than prior AI experience.
Where do I apply?
Through the official Polyfoni Google Form.
