• News / 
• Events

Science Communication and Artificial Intelligence: How AI is Changing Public Communication about Science

PROF. DR. MIKE S. SCHÄFER (UNIVERSITY OF ZÜRICH)

• Date: 15. April 2025
• Time: 18:30
• Street: Schnoor 27, 28359 Bremen
• Location: Bremen Press-Club

Abstract

Generative AI – which generates new results based on extensive digital data and human training – is fundamentally changing public communication. Citizens and communications professionals are using it to communicate about political and economic issues, healthcare, technology and other matters – with potentially far-reaching consequences. Scientists and experts have debated how this could affect public communication about science: On the one hand, GenAI can help science communication practitioners generate content or identify new ideas and trends, prepare scientific results and publications for different channels and audiences, and enable an interactive, dialogic exchange with different user groups. On the other hand, there are fears that GenAI could inaccurately represent science, contain biases against certain scientific fields and deepen the digital divide. Researchers have begun to analyze these effects of AI on science communication in recent years.

Bio

Mike S. Schäfer (University of Zurich) is Professor of Science Communication and Head of Department at the IKMZ – Institute for Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He is also Director of the Center of Higher Education and Science Studies (CHESS) at the University of Zurich and PI of the Swiss Science Barometer. Schäfer’s work focuses on public communication and the public perception of science and technology, particularly on the topics of AI and climate change, as well as science-related populism and conspiracy theories.