CIDA 2026

5th International Communication
In Digital Age Symposium:
Transformation of Intelligence –
The Dialectics of Communication

15-17 October
Kocaeli University / TÜRKİYE

About CIDA International

CIDA International is an international symposium jointly organized by the Communication Research Association (ILAD), founded in 1989, and the Communication Faculty Deans Council (ILDEK), established by the deans of communication faculties operating in Türkiye and abroad since 2000 within the framework of the Turkish higher education system.

Within this framework, the symposium series titled Communication in the Digital Age has been organized to discuss emerging issues in digital communication and media studies. The first symposium was hosted by Mersin University Faculty of Communication in 2018, and the second symposium was organized by Izmir University of Economics Faculty of Communication in 2020.

The third symposium, CIDA International 2022, was organized under the leadership of Ankara University Faculty of Communication (ILEF) with the contributions of the communication faculties of Başkent University, Hacettepe University, and Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, as well as the relevant departments and programs of Çankaya University, Atılım University, and Ankara Social Sciences University.

The fourth symposium in the series was held in 2024 at Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus.

The fifth symposium in the series, CIDA International 2026, will take place between 15–17 October 2026 and will be hosted by the Faculty of Communication at Kocaeli University in Kocaeli, Türkiye.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Today, current discussions in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) no longer conceptualize intelligence solely as an individual attribute of the human mind but as a hybrid and collective phenomenon where human and machine agents coexist. The articulation of intelligence from being a biological privilege to calculable processes also brings about the transformation of communication from a rational dialogue to an algorithmic process. A comparative examination of AI and human intelligence shows that the human capacity to generate intuitive, contextual, and implicit knowledge and the large-scale data processing and pattern recognition power of AI offer mutually complementary competencies, not mutually exclusive. In this context, “hybrid intelligence” emerges as a new form of intelligence that is neither completely human-centered nor completely machine-centered, but based on the mutual empowerment of human and artificial intelligence systems.

The “hybrid-augmented intelligence” and “hybrid cognitive authority” frameworks developed in recent years show that human-machine collaboration is not just automation; It emphasizes that it creates common cognitive subjectivity in decision-making, information production and interpretation processes. The articulation of artificial intelligence to human cognition as a “cognitive extension” or “System 0” radically transforms the way people access information, solve problems and learn; It transforms artificial intelligence systems into cognitive partners that prioritize and shape human thinking processes rather than passive tools  . This transformation, on the one hand, reduces intelligence to the capacity to “act rationally” and “solve problems” rather than “thinking like a human“, and on the other hand, it also brings new ethical, political and cultural debates that go beyond this reductionist and instrumental framework to the agenda.

In this context, the symposium focuses on the dialectical tension between Weber’s concept of “instrumental rationality” and Habermas’ theory of “communicative action“. Will artificial intelligence remain only an instrumental object that maximizes efficiency; Or will it be constructed as an actor compatible with the principles of ethics, social responsibility and public deliberation? The field of human-machine communication (HMC), which is shaped by artificial intelligence-based interfaces, chatbots, social bots and digital assistants, has transformed AI from being just a transmission channel to a synthetic communicator and “algorithmic subject” that participates in meaning production, simulates affect, and establishes discourse.“. Qualitative studies show that people do not reduce their interaction with artificial intelligence systems to a mere command-response order; It reveals that they have developed a complex communication practice with an algorithmic “semi-subject” with role-playing, emotional kindness, gamification and relationality strategies. Thus, communication becomes evident as a dialectical process established between man and machine, which both reproduces and transforms human communication patterns.

On the other hand, the posthumanist perspective, which replaces the humanist ideal that accepts human beings as the measure of all things,  necessitates redefining the subject in transversal contexts such as  machine-becoming and earth-becoming. AI-powered collective intelligence models point to new forms of organization where human communities and artificial agents work together in multi-layered networks to solve complex societal problems. In these hybrid collective structures, knowledge production and authority become distributed; Artificial intelligence also re-establishes discourse and power relations as an “infrastructure subject” that filters, prioritizes and shapes communicative flows. In this context, the ontological differences between AI’s “non-intentional” language and human language; In Walter Benjamin’s words, the loss of the “aura” of communication, that is, the “here and now“; it intertwines with the question of how meaning, knowledge, and power are negotiated under digital-automated regimes.

Thus, in the age of artificial intelligence, the transformation of intelligence and the dialectic of communication become inseparable: While intelligence is organized in human-machine hybrid systems; communication gains importance as a dominant field in these systems where meaning, information and power are distributed, transformed and opened to discussion. From education to health communication, from digital platforms to public debate, multi-layered processes are observed in which intelligence externalizes (information is embodied in models), internalized (artificial intelligence outputs reconstruct mental models), and expanded through human-AI hybrid systems.

The symposium aims to discuss this transformation with an interdisciplinary perspective; on the axis of hybrid intelligence, collective intelligence, human-machine communication (HMC) and posthumanist theories; It aims to discuss the philosophical, theoretical, empirical and normative dimensions of new artificial intelligence-based cognition and communication systems. In this context, based on the dialectical tension between Weber’s instrumental rationality and Habermas’ theory of communicative action, the question of whether artificial intelligence is only a technical tool or a communicative actor will be discussed in a multidimensional way.

Within the scope of the symposium; in a wide range from public relations to journalism, from advertising to visual communication design, from marketing communication to political communication, from cultural studies to digital ethics and media studies; It is expected to present studies focusing on artificial intelligence, digital platforms, algorithmic content production, data-driven communication, misinformation, digital culture and new media ecosystems.

In the symposium, which is planned to be held with a wide participation at national and international level, researchers, graduate students and all interested parties in the field will participate in the 5. We invite you to the International Symposium on Communication in the Digital Age (CIDA International).

Abstracts can focus on the following axes, including but not limited to the following themes:

Transformation of Intelligence and Hybrid/Collective Intelligence

  • Communication Generation in the Age of Hybrid Intelligence
  • Collective Intelligence and the Digital Public Sphere
  • The Transformation of Editorial Authority in AI-Powered Communication
  • Trust, Transparency, and Ethical Communication in Human-Machine Interaction
  • From Participatory Culture to Hybrid Production
  • Algorithmic Power and Visibility in Platformized Communication Ecosystems
  • Distributed Intelligence and Information Flows
  • Platform Capitalism and Communication
  • Digital Culture and Meaning Production in the Context of Networked Intelligence
  • From Collective Intelligence to Algorithmic Curation

Human-AI Communication and New Dialectics

  • New Communication Paradigms in the Context of Human-Machine Communication (HMC)
  • Synthetic Communicators and the Transformation of Representation in Media
  • Hybrid Communication Models
  • Source Reliability and Communication Ethics in AI-Based Content Production
  • Artificial Intelligence in Digital Media “Speakers”: Discourse, representation and persuasion processes
  • Corporate Communications from the HMC Perspective
  • Subject/Object Boundaries, Algorithmic Subjectivity and the Dialectic of Communication
  • Human-AI dialogues on the axis of affect, trust, authority and dependence

Artificial Intelligence and Strategic Communication in Public Relations

  • AI-powered corporate reputation management and communication strategies
  • Data-driven public relations/Artificial intelligence and early warning systems in crisis communication
  • Professional transformation in public relations, new skills-tools
  • Artificial intelligence and corporate transparency / accountability / ethics debates
  • Digital activism and public relations practices

AI Transformation in Journalism

  • Artificial intelligence/Robot journalism and automated news writing in news production and distribution processes
  • Data journalism and visualization
  • Independent media and sustainability
  • Fact-checking / Deepfake and image/audio manipulation
  • Credibility of AI-generated news Public trust and algorithmic transparency/Editorial Ethics

Visual Communication Design and Artificial Intelligence

  • Redefining visual production and creativity with generative AI
  • Human-AI collaboration in design processes/ Automated design tools and transformation of creative processes
  • Logo, poster and corporate identity design with artificial intelligence
  • Discussions of speed, efficiency and standardization in design
  • Algorithmic effects and meaning production in aesthetic production

AI in Advertising and Creative Industries

  • Text, campaign and ad production with generative AI
  • Transforming creativity: human-machine collaboration
  • Personalized ad experiences
  • Ethics, manipulation and consumer rights in advertising
  • The use of AI in brand narratives

Artificial Intelligence in Radio and Audio-Based Media

  • AI-powered radio broadcasting and automated content production
  • AI in the podcast ecosystem
  • New listening practices with voice assistants and conversational interfaces
  • Transforming sound design, editing and publishing processes with artificial intelligence
  • Algorithmic curation and content visibility on digital radio platforms
  • Debates on trust, authority and “synthetic voice” in audio media

AI and Hybrid Creativity in Cinema

  • Screenwriting, character design, and visual production with generative AI
  • Human-AI collaboration in cinema: hybrid creative processes
  • Deep learning and visual effects technologies: the transformation of reality and representation
  • Deepfake technologies and issues of ethics, representation and trust in cinema
  • Automation of editing, post-production and distribution processes with artificial intelligence
  • Algorithmic aesthetics and new narrative forms in cinema narrative
  • Digital platforms (Netflix, etc.) and data-driven content production

AI in Television and Platform Ecosystems

  • AI-powered content production and programming in television broadcasting
  • Algorithmic recommendation systems and viewing culture on streaming platforms
  • Personalized content experience and audience analytics with artificial intelligence
  • Automation in news and live broadcasts: robot presenters and synthetic anchors
  • Data-driven rating measurement and audience behavior analysis in television
  • The transformation of television in the process of platformization: from linear broadcasting to digital streaming
  • Artificial intelligence, ethics and manipulation debates in television content

Artificial Intelligence and Data Economy in Marketing Communication

  • Customer experience design with artificial intelligence, consumer behavior, data analytics
  • Personalization and microtargeting strategies
  • Big data and communication decision processes
  • Integration of neuromarketing and artificial intelligence
  • Ethics and privacy in digital marketing

Political Communication and Democracy

  • Digital campaigns and election communication
  • Social media activism and collective action
  • The effect of algorithms on political processes
  • Public Diplomacy and artificial intelligence

Dialectics of Cultural Studies and Communication

  • Transformation of culture, technology and meaning production
  • Popular culture and digitalization
  • Resistance practices and alternative media
  • Identity politics and representation struggles

Communication Ethics and Digital Rights

  • AI ethics and accountability
  • Data security, privacy, and ethical breaches
  • Digital ethics, freedom of expression and hate speech
  • Ethical decision-making processes in the age of automation

Education, Communication and Digital Literacy

  • Transforming knowledge production processes in academia
  • Digital Pedagogy: Transforming the Curriculum in Communication Faculties
  • AI Literacy: Competency Building for the Next Generation of Communicators
  • Transforming knowledge production processes in academia and New Tools in production
  • Ethics and Technology in Research Methods

Communication and Artificial Intelligence in the Sports Industry

  • Data analytics and content production in sports media
  • Performance analysis, fan experience and digital interaction with artificial intelligence
  • E-sports and new communication ecosystems
  • Sports marketing and sponsorship strategies
  • Broadcasting technologies and the transformation of sports narrative

Artificial Intelligence in Culture, Art and Creative Production

  • Discussions on art generation with artificial intelligence, art originality and creativity
  • Digital exhibitions, museums, and experience design
  • Digitalization of cultural heritage
  • Artificial intelligence in cinema, music and visual arts
  • Automation and labor in the cultural industries

AI in the Financial Communication Ecosystem

  • Investor relationship management with artificial intelligence
  • FinTech applications, crypto assets and digital finance communication
  • The communication dimension of algorithmic trading
  • AI-powered financial literacy
  • Chatbots and customer communication in banking

Health Communication and Technology

  • Digital health communication and telemedicine
  • Applications of artificial intelligence in health
  • Risk communication and crisis management

Interdisciplinary Intersections

  • Algorithmic decision-making and societal implications
  • AI ethics and regulatory policies
  • Digital capitalism and communication
  • The relationship between data, power and ideology
  • The future of communication: post-human discussions
  • Human-machine interaction and communication theories
  • Generative AI and creative industries

Keynote Speakers

Salvatore Scifo

Salvatore Scifo

Executive Director
International Association for Media and Communication Research – IAMCR

Salvatore Scifo brings wide experience in academic and organisational leadership. He is a former co-chair of IAMCR’s Community Communication and Alternative Media Section and has served in leadership roles with the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), the Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE) and the Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA). He holds a PhD in communication from the University of Westminster.

Nagwan_Zahry

Nagwan Zahry

Associate Professor
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Dr. Zahry is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication. She received her PhD in Media & Information from Michigan State University in the fall of 2017. During her PhD at the Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences, she worked in many interdisciplinary projects implemented by the College of Nursing, the College of Engineering, and the College Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Prior to joining UTC in 2012, Dr. Zahry worked as a Assistant Professor at Michigan State University’s Department of Public Relations and Advertising where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses.

Dr. Zahry’s research areas include digital technologies for positive behavior change, persuasive messaging, AI, STEM education, and low-income families’ eating behaviors and mental health.

Lutz_Peschke

Lutz Peschke

Associate Professor
Başkent University Communication and Design Programe

Associated Professor Lutz Peschke’s academic background is interdisciplinary, encompassing both natural and social sciences. He received his PhD in Chemistry from Heidelberg University in 1996. In subsequent years, he turned to social sciences, receiving PhDs in Journalism from Ankara University in 2010 and in Media and Communication Studies from Bonn University in 2018.

His main areas of expertise include science communication, media design, visual communication, and new media.

He is currently an Associate Professor and Vice Dean at Başkent University Faculty of Communication. He was also a faculty member at Bilkent University Department of Communication and Design in the past.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
ADVISORY BOARD
SCIENTIFIC BOARD
INVITATION TO REVIEW

IMPORTANT DATES

25 September 2026

DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS

30 September 2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACCEPTED ABSTRACTS

5 October 2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROGRAM

15-16 October 2026

SYMPOSIUM

17 October 2026

SOCIAL PROGRAM

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

SUBMISSION POLICY

For the CIDA International Symposium, submissions will be evaluated based on extended abstracts.

Authors are invited to submit a structured extended abstract presenting the core idea, research design, methodology, and expected contribution of their work. Full papers are not required at the initial submission stage.

All submissions must be uploaded through Microsoft CMT (Conference Management Tools). To go to Microsoft CMT Panel, click the button below.

Accepted extended abstracts will be published in the official CIDA Symposium Abstract Book, documenting the scientific contributions presented at the symposium.

Authors are requested to submit an extended abstract of approximately 500–1000 words written in clear academic English.

The extended abstract should provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of the research and include the following components:

  • TITLE
    A clear, informative, and academically appropriate title reflecting the main focus of the study.
  • AUTHOR INFORMATION
    Full names of all authors, institutional affiliations, and the email address of the corresponding author.
  • INTRODUCTION / BACKGROUND
    A brief introduction describing the research problem, theoretical context, and the significance of the study within the broader field of communication and digital media.
  • RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OR RESEARCH QUESTIONS
    A clear statement outlining the purpose of the study, its objectives, and the primary research questions or hypotheses.
  • METHODOLOGY
    A concise explanation of the research design, theoretical framework, analytical methods, or data sources employed in the study.
  • FINDINGS OR EXPECTED RESULTS
    If the research has been completed, authors should summarize the key findings. For ongoing studies, expected outcomes and potential insights should be clearly indicated.
  • CONCLUSION AND CONTRIBUTION
    A brief discussion highlighting the academic significance of the research and its potential contribution to communication studies and digital media scholarship.
  • KEYWORDS
    Authors should provide 3–5 keywords representing the main themes of the study.

All submissions must represent original scholarly work and must not have been previously published or submitted simultaneously to another conference or journal.

Authors are responsible for ensuring the academic integrity, ethical compliance, and accuracy of their submissions.

PARTICIPATION

  • Presentations can be done in person or on-line, depending on author(s) preferences.

  • The Session Schedule will be structured according to author(s) preferences and relate topics.

  • At least one author of each accepted submission must register for the symposium and present the research. Only registered and presented contributions will be included in the official program and published in the CIDA Symposium Abstract Book.

Registration fees to be applied separately for all participants, including multi-author papers, are as follows:

Registration Late Registration
(After 5 October)
In Person 50 EURO 70 EURO
On-line 30 EURO 50 EURO
Student (In Person) 40 EURO 60 EURO
Student (On-line) 25 EURO 35 EURO

The conference fee includes:

  • Opportunity to present a paper
  • Access to all conference sessions
  • Abstract book (in PDF format)
  • Coffee breaks
  • Lunch

Note: Student participants are required to upload proof of their student status to the CMT system.

BANK ACCOUNTS

Symposium fee’s payment methods and Bank Accounts will be announced here soon.