Polyfoni Social Sciences for AI Fellowship 2026-2027
Overview
The Polyfoni Social Sciences for AI Fellowship 2026-2027 is a four-month, part-time research collaboration for social scientists who have fieldwork experience in regions where AI products are being deployed. Fellows work remotely from November 2026 to March 2027 and carry out a cultural audit of a real AI product in their region of expertise.
A cultural audit is an empirical analysis of how a particular AI product builds in assumptions about the context where it is deployed, and where those assumptions break down. Each audit follows Polyfoni's Cultural Audit Method: assumption mapping, contextual failure identification, severity assessment and recommendations. Examples of targets include a health AI chatbot in East Africa, an ocean AI tool in Southeast Asia, an agricultural AI tool in West Africa, or a language model deployed in a market where English does not dominate. The result is a report written for a product team and published on Polyfoni's Substack under the fellow's name.
What you get
Fellows receive dual mentorship from an academic collaborator and an AI industry professional, training in the Cultural Audit Method, and online masterclasses and monthly group sessions supported by partner AI Mission Lab. Their research is published under their own name on Polyfoni's website and in Making AI Listen, an open-access publication.
Who can apply
The fellowship suits people who want to use social science training to shape how AI products are built, evaluated and governed. Backgrounds such as anthropology, sociology, science and technology studies, development studies, political science, humanities and area studies are welcome. There are no strict degree requirements, and prior AI experience is not needed.
Requirements
Selection looks for regional expertise backed by fieldwork, with priority regions of East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America and China. Applicants need a clear motivation and a concrete idea of which AI product they would audit, and should be able to give the audit about 5 hours a week. Comfort working in English is expected, and other languages are an advantage. Polyfoni selects for diversity of region and discipline.
How to apply
Step 1 is a short application with a motivation statement of up to 500 words, after which successful candidates are asked for a CV. Step 2 is an interview and research discussion with the team. Mentors are matched by regional expertise and sector.
Key dates
The application deadline is October 15, 2026. The fellowship runs from November 2026 to March 2027.