Phd Position Decision-making in Generative Ai: Bias, Rationality, and Benchmarks

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Belonging to the best research universities of Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.

Faculty of Economics and Business
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FEBRI, the graduate school and research institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business has available
One PhD position in the field of Decision-Making in Generative AI: Bias, Rationality, and Benchmarks

Project description
Generative AI systems are increasingly being considered for decision-making roles, yet their rationality, coherence, and susceptibility to biases remain poorly understood. This project aims to develop benchmarks that assess AI decision-making against normative principles, identifying both human-like biases and novel systematic incongruities.

AI should not only satisfy fundamental axioms of rational choice theory but also demonstrate consistency across different formulations of the same decision problem. Just as humans exhibit framing effects, AI models may reach contradictory conclusions depending on how a prompt is phrased. Similarly, they may display preference reversals, nonstationary risk attitudes, violations of dynamic consistency, or path dependence.

For instance, an AI providing financial advice might recommend different actions depending on whether an investment is framed as a potential gain versus an avoided loss. A language model generating ethical judgments could shift its stance depending on wording variations. AI assistants in strategic decision-making might even open avenues for adversarial exploitation.

By systematically evaluating these issues, this project seeks to establish a rigorous framework for assessing AI decision-making. It will benchmark generative AI models, comparing their decision-theoretic performance much like existing evaluations of their mathematical problem-solving, reasoning, or factual accuracy. The findings will contribute to the development of AI systems that make decisions that are coherent, reliable, aligned with principles of rationality, while also reflecting the preferences of their principals.

Organisation
The PhD position is embedded in the Economics, Econometrics, and Finance research programme of FEB’s Research Institute. The project will be supervised by Zsombor Méder and Pim Heijnen.

**Qualifications**:
**Organisation**:
**Conditions of employment**:
Starting date: Preferably per September 1, 2025.

An assessment may be part of the procedure, consisting of psychological tests and an interview.

**Application**:
2. A motivation letter (max. 1 page).
3. A study proposal about the PhD project (max 3 pages).
4. A scan of your diploma, including transcripts.
5. Some proof of English proficiency.
6. Two letters of recommendation.

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**Information**:
For information you can contact:

- Zsombor Méder, for more information on this specific project, z.z.meder rug.nl