Organizer: SYNTHETICA
In today’s data-driven digital landscape, online spaces have become fertile ground for a variety of persuasive and influencing activities. From AI-generated content that amplifies political discourse and engages voters (Bilton, 2024) to virtual influencers encouraging parasocial relationships while promoting products (Stein et al., 2022), the distinction between synthetic and authentic communication is increasingly blurred (Feher & Katona, 2021).
This workshop aims to explore the intersections of human and other-than-human generated content and engagement within digital environments. The context for these explorations can be anything from organizational communication to hobbyist media practices. We invite contributions that examine how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs), are reshaping the dynamics of influencing and engaging across various digital platforms.
We welcome presentations on topics including, but not limited to:
- Human, virtual, and artificial influencers
- Artificial persuasion and persuasive technologies
- Synthetic misinformation, disinformation, deception, and propaganda
- Sociocultural impact of AI tools and utilities
- Organizational aspects of chatbots and other forms of AI
We look forward to your innovative insights and contributions in either English or Finnish. Please submit your abstract following the VAKKI guidelines. The language of the session will be determined by the language choice of the participants.
References
Bilton, N. (2024). Dizzying Deepfakes and Personalized Propaganda: Welcome to the AI Election. Vanity Fair.
Feher, K., & Katona, A. I. (2021). Fifteen shadows of socio-cultural AI: A systematic review and future perspectives. Futures, 132, 102817.
Stein, J. P., Breves, P. L., & Anders, N. (2022). Parasocial Interactions with Real and Virtual Influencers: The Role of Perceived Similarity and Human-Likeness. New Media & Society.