From artificial intelligence (AI) news anchors delivering broadcasts to AI-generated memes circulating across social media, projects by the Artificial Intelligence and Media Lab (AIM-Lab)’s Advanced Undergraduate Research on Robots and AI (AURORA) grantees explored the intersection of journalism, media and AI. The student researchers presented their work at Web Summit Qatar 2026, showcasing a wide range of approaches to understanding AI’s growing role in contemporary communication.
Founded in 2013 by Dean and CEO Marwan M. Kraidy and directed by Associate Dean for Education and AIM-Lab Founding Director S. Venus Jin, AIM-Lab researches the intersection of artificial intelligence and media. Each year, faculty mentors amplify student projects through its AURORA grant.
At Web Summit Qatar 2026—which brought together more than 30,000 attendees, including entrepreneurs, policymakers, media professionals, and technologists from over 120 countries, to discuss the world’s latest technologies—two sessions led by Jin offered a look at the ongoing research and development of seven AURORA projects.
Projects presented included Eterna: AI-Assisted Contextual Memory Preservation by Ramazan Zhetpysbayev ’26, Adaptive Storytelling as a Real-Time System by Malika Assanseitova ’26, Socratic Questioning and AI: Rethinking Mental Health Conversations by Akzhunis Atabay ’28, Imitation Stardom: Measuring the Impact of AI-Powered Influencers by Ayushi Jha ’27, Gen Z Perceptions of AI News Anchors by Areesha Usman ’28, Searching the Story by Aizere Yessenkulova ’26, and From Humor to Harm: Political Memes, Generative AI, and Disinformation in Chinese-Related Instagram Reels by Fan Wu ’26.
These presentations allowed students to engage with academic and industry experts and peers at the Web Summit. NU-Q Views spoke with the grantees about how they prepared for their presentations and their experiences exploring the summit.
Aiganym Akhmetova contributed to this article.
