City University of Hong Kong
CityUHK Announcement Portal (CAP)
City University of Hong Kong
CityUHK Announcement Portal (CAP)

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COM Research Seminar: Generative AI for Persuasion and Public Health Communication: Navigating the Potentials and Challenges by Dr Jingwen ZHANG
(POSTED: 2025-03-27 2:48 PM )
COM Research Seminar: COM Research Seminar: Generative AI for Persuasion and Public Health Communication: Navigating the Potentials and Challenges by Dr Jingwen ZHANG, Department of Communication, University of California, Davis . Date & Time: 14 April 2025, 16:00 - 17:30. Venue: Multimedia Laboratory (M5055),5/F, Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre, please click https://www.cityu.edu.hk/com/Public/AppForms/StI_AppForm.aspx?id=1226 to register for the seminar by 30 Sep 2024. Language: English. Abstract Generative AI and large language models (LLMs) are reshaping how scholars and practitioners approach communication interventions. By automating tasks that once required extensive human effort—such as message creation, data annotation, and experiment design—LLMs offer promising avenues for inclusive and scalable communication research. In this talk, I highlight two emerging research areas: harnessing LLMs for persuasion and leveraging them for public health promotion. Our findings show that while LLM simulations can approximate conversational flow and predict belief shifts, they tend to underestimate the magnitude of actual persuasive effects observed in human–AI interactions, revealing both the potential and complexities of AI-driven persuasion. On the pragmatic side, LLM-based chatbots can generate personalized health messages, streamline physician–patient communication, and scale up interventions. This talk synthesizes the latest empirical data and theoretical perspectives, spotlighting the opportunities and challenges inherent in using LLMs for persuasive communication and public health advancement.. About the speaker: Dr. Jingwen Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and an Affiliate Faculty member in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis. She directs the Communication in Health and Technology Research Lab (CHATR), where her research centers on understanding, designing, and testing persuasive technologies—such as social media, mobile apps, AI, and chatbots—to shape public attitudes and drive behavior change. Dr. Zhang received the 2021 Ayman El-Mohandes Young Professional Public Health Innovation Award and the 2023 Everett M. Rogers Award from the American Public Health Association. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has published over 70 articles in top journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Communications, and the American Journal of Public Health. For enquiries, please call 34428677.
Category:
Academic Seminar
Department:
Department of Media and Communication (COM)
Venue:
Multimedia Laboratory (M5055), 5/F, Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre
Start Date:
2025-04-14 16:00
End Date:
2025-04-14 17:30
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