The Project on AI and the Future is a multi‑year research initiative led by James E. Katz at Boston University’s College of Communication. The project examines how artificial intelligence, social robots, and emerging communication systems shape everyday life, public institutions, and expectations about the future.

The project investigates how AI systems—from conversational agents to autonomous tools—affect communication, autonomy, and social order. It brings together Katz’s long‑standing work on technological change, human–machine relationships, and public perceptions of emerging media.

Research areas include:

  • AI in everyday communication
  • Human–robot interaction and social roles
  • Privacy, autonomy, and algorithmic decision‑making
  • Public expectations and imaginaries of technological futures

The project aims to produce empirically grounded insights that inform public debate, policy development, and responsible technology design. The initiative supports:

  • Empirical studies using surveys, interviews, and cross‑cultural comparisons
  • Scholarly publications, including books, journal articles, and edited volumes
  • Workshops and invited talks with researchers and practitioners
  • Curricular integration of findings into BU courses on emerging media and human–AI communication

Events

Notable achievements of the project include a series of workshops and conferences that address issues when they begin to rise in prominence in academic or policy discussions. Recent examples include the following:

Lights, Camera, Algorithm!
AI’s Role in the Ethics and Identities of Korean Hallyu and French Media
October 8–9, 2025
A two‑day international workshop hosted at Boston University’s College of Communication. The event examines how AI technologies—such as automated dubbing, synthetic video, deepfakes, and AI‑generated characters—are reshaping media production, cultural identity, and creative labor in South Korea’s Hallyu (the Korean Wave) and in French popular media.

Beyond the Binge
Ethical Implications of AI for Entertainment and Education
April 10–11, 2025
A multidisciplinary conference exploring how AI‑driven recommendation systems and algorithmic curation influence entertainment, education, and cultural consumption. The two‑day program brings together scholars from computer science, media studies, philosophy, and the humanities to examine the ethical and societal implications of AI‑mediated choice.

AI, robots and the future of human relationships
Are we crossing a threshold?
May 13, 2026
University-wide lecture, Institute of Advanced Studies, Università di Bologna by James E. Katz,

Coming Soon: Human–AI and Human–Robot Interaction Workshop
Academic Year 2026–27
Planning is underway for a workshop focused on emerging research in human–AI and human–robot interaction. The program will bring together scholars working on communication, social integration, and the ethical dimensions of AI‑mediated interaction. Details will be posted in the fall.

Affiliates

The Project on AI and the Future collaborates with a small group of affiliated scholars whose work aligns with its focus on AI, communication, and society.

  • Etienne Barnard, North‑West University, South Africa
  • Dongpeng Huang, Harvard University
  • Chi Vu, Boston University
  • Denis Wu, Boston University
Affiliated scholars, left to right: Etienne Barnard, North-West University, South Africa; Dongpen Huang, Harvard University; Chu Vu, Boston University; an Denis Wu, Boston University.

Opportunities for collaboration

Collaboration with the Project on AI and the Future is selective and primarily by invitation, with external participation limited to scholars whose research aligns closely with the project’s focus on AI and society.

A small number of BU Emerging Media Studies (EMS) students may apply for volunteer research roles. These positions are competitive and intended for students who demonstrate strong analytical skills and a clear interest in human–AI communication.

Selected Publications

The following publications illustrate the project’s longstanding contributions to understanding personal communication technologies, internet use, and emerging forms of human–AI interaction.

Foundational works on communication and internet use

  • Katz, J. E. (Ed.). (2003). Machines that become us: The social context of personal communication technology. Transaction Publishers.
  • Katz, J. E., & Mark Aakhus (Eds.). (2002). Perpetual contact: Mobile communication, private talk, public performance. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511489479
  • Katz, J. E., & Ronald E. Rice. (2002). Social consequences of internet use: Access, involvement, and interaction. MIT Press.

Recent work on AI, automation, and technological futures

  • Katz, J. E. (Ed.). (2024). Nudging choices through media: A social science perspective on choice architecture and communication. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003372507
  • Katz, J. E. (Ed.). (2024). Perceiving the future through new communication technologies. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003372293
  • Novozhilova, E., Mays, K., & Katz, J. E. (2024). Looking towards an automated future: U.S. attitudes towards future artificial intelligence instantiations and their effect. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 11, Article 132. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02625-1
  • Novozhilova, E., Vu, C., & Katz, J. E. (2025). From moral panic to normalization: Comparing users and non-users of AI companionship apps. AI & Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-024-01896-9
  • Ramanathan, Aishwarya, Huang, Dongpeng, & Katz, J. E. (2025). Synthesizing insights on AI in Africa: A comprehensive qualitative analysis. Southern African Conference for Artificial Intelligence Research, 469–486.

Emerging Media Studies

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