This session examines key forces shaping the future of communication research, with many discussion groups focusing on the transformative impacts of AI, algorithms, and social media. Discussion groups will explore issues such as non-representativeness in social media data, generative AI in online political communication, media effects and metacognition, ethical implications of AI for relationships, and opportunities for bridging disciplines like neuroscience, social network analysis, psycholinguistics and communication. The session will also consider tools and approaches communication scientists need to navigate this changing landscape.

This session highlights emerging methodological frontiers in communication research. Discussions will explore issues such as merging diverse methods, measures and models in theory testing; opportunities and challenges of AI-aided content analysis; leveraging mobile methods and mixed methods to understand interpersonal processes; and harnessing approaches from genetics to single-case experiments to accelerate person-specific paradigms. The session also considers the future of longitudinal research, verbal behavior in social science, and audience understanding. Cutting across these topics is an emphasis on creatively integrating novel methodological tools and techniques to shed new light on complex communication dynamics at multiple levels of analysis.