Design Engineering PhD Scholarship 13

Exploring the Impact of Generative AI on Health Decision Making and Wellbeing

Abstract
This PhD explores how people use generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) to make health-related decisions, examining the support they seek and how such tools shape their reasoning, emotions, and wellbeing. It investigates the emerging “relationship” between users and AI advisors, its benefits, dependencies, and risks, and develops frameworks, design principles and interactive prototypes for supportive, non-exploitative AI interactions. Bridging human–AI interaction, cognitive psychology and design engineering the research aims to inform the creation of generative AI systems that foster informed, autonomous, and emotionally balanced health decision-making.

This PhD will be co-supervised by Dr Advait Sarkar (Microsoft Research, Cambridge).

How to Apply 
Please contact Dr Talya Porat if you are interested in applying for this project. 

For more information on submitting a PhD application, please consult our application pages here. When you submit your application, please cite this project title in the 'how you are planning to fund your PhD' section.   

The deadline for submitting your application is 09 January 2026.