Early on in its work, the AI working group identified the need for targeted AI training tailored to the daily tasks of the institute's employees as one of the key needs.

An internal introductory training session on the use of AI tools was held on 11 November 2025. This was prepared and led by Luka Radičević and Klemen Koman, and was based on an internally distributed questionnaire in which IER employees – both researchers and professional staff – assessed their knowledge and needs related to the use of such tools. The training covered the basic concepts of generative AI, as well as providing a practical demonstration of the capabilities, basic use and configuration of tools such as ChatGPT, NotebookLM, Perplexity and Gemini. Specific questions and practical examples from colleagues' work were used as a starting point, ranging from source analysis to content creation.

The introductory training was followed by an advanced, fully customised practical workshop on AI, led by Nika Koprivnikar from Skillifai. Skillifai is one of Slovenia's leading providers of high-quality AI training. The workshop focused on hands-on experience with selected tools and solving specific challenges that IER employees encounter in their work. Particular emphasis was placed on the ethical and responsible use of AI, in line with the institute's research standards and values. Data protection was also addressed, which is of exceptional importance to the institute due to its long-term cooperation with state institutions and access to confidential data.

Implementation of training is an important step towards systematically and thoughtfully integrating AI into IER work processes, as well as strengthening employees' digital skills.