Sessions

Contemporary media environments are undergoing dynamic transformation, driven by phenomena such as datafication, platformization, algorithmization, and the development of artificial intelligence. In a digitized reality, these processes not only influence the evolution of narratives, journalistic genres, and language, but fundamentally transform communication itself, shaping attitudes, values, and behaviors of individuals. Consideration must also be given to the consequences of media transformations in the context of the condition and future of democracy. This session provides a space for interdisciplinary discussion on the directions in which media are evolving and the potential social consequences of these transformations.

In the era of the AI revolution, research on media, communication, and democracy requires not only new research tools, but also new models of cooperation—interdisciplinary, transnational, and cross-sectoral. This session is dedicated to the presentation of initiatives based on networking and cooperation—both as examples of organizational and research best practices and as sources of concrete scholarly results. The session will also provide a platform to present collaborations supporting the academic community, implemented within scientific associations, research networks, laboratories, and competence centers.

The progressing algorithmization of reality poses unprecedented challenges for media professions. The growing dominance of artificial intelligence not only redefines traditional professional workshops, but also initiates the emergence of new professions and requires audiences to continuously develop digital competences. This session will be devoted to discussion of the contemporary condition of journalism and changes in the roles of the user, creator, and participant in the face of the increasing role of algorithms in communication processes, with particular emphasis on reliability of information, journalistic ethics, technological responsibility, and systemic solutions and standards governing the media market.

Generative AI has become a new communicative actor, demonstrating potential both in supporting users and in escalating negative social phenomena. A key challenge lies in understanding the impact of AI on political communication, which often leads to disinformation and destabilization of democratic processes. The vast availability of data has also created an opportunity to reflect on how the research process itself is changing—particularly in terms of applied approaches, methods, and tools. In this session, we propose an interdisciplinary discussion on technological and social challenges related to the evolution of communication media and market monitoring in the era of new media. Given the current political situation, it is also difficult to exclude reflections on media narratives concerning war, crisis, and violence.