International Society
for Presence Research

Author: Matthew Lombard

  • Call: “How Does AI Change Communication?” issue of Journal of Language and Social Psychology

    Published:

    Call for Papers: “How Does Artificial Intelligence Change Communication?”Special Issue of Journal of Language and Social Psychologyhttps://journals.sagepub.com/page/jls/callforpapers Editors:Dr. Andrea L. Guzman (Northern Illinois University)Dr. Bingjie Liu (Ohio State University)Dr. Renwen Zhang (National University of Singapore) Deadline for submission of abstracts: August 1, 2025 GOALS AND FOCI How we study and understand the social psychology of language is rapidly changing with the growth of AI. This special issue of the JLSP focuses on scholarship that addresses the conceptual and theoretical questions regarding how artificial intelligence (AI) changes communication practices and research. We invite submissions from scholars in the fields of communication,…

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  • Carolina Cruz-Neira blends art and science to create virtual worlds

    Published:

    [I’m really interested in how people came to contribute to the scholarship about and the development of presence-evoking technologies and experiences, and this profile of our friend and colleague Carolina Cruz-Neira, who invented the CAVE, is a great example. It’s from IEEE Spectrum, where the original version includes three more pictures. –Matthew] [Image: In newer versions of the CAVE system, haptic gloves like the ones Cruz-Neira wears here allow users to feel virtual objects. Credit: VARLab/University of Central Florida] A Knee Injury Launched This VR Pioneer’s Career Carolina Cruz-Neira blends art and science to create virtual worlds By Edd Gent,…

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  • Call: “The Future of Sound: Memories, Networks and AI” section of journal Revista Comunicando

    Published:

    Call for Papers: “The Future of Sound: Memories, Networks and Artificial Intelligence”Thematic Section of the journal Revista Comunicando Thematic editors: Cláudia Henriques (Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade, Universidade do Minho, Portugal)Teresa Costa Alves (Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade, Universidade do Minho, Portugal) Deadline for submission of full texts: October 15, 2025 We live in a time in which digital technologies, with a special emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI), have profoundly redefined practices associated with the sound universe, memory and sharing in a collective context. The processes of creation, circulation and archiving of sound content are no…

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  • Cha Eun-Woo’s ‘immersive,’ ‘intimate,’ ‘choose your own adventure’ VR concert launches global cinema tour

    Published:

    [Note the many indirect references to different types of presence experiences in this PR Newswire press release for a new virtual reality concert being released this summer. The original version includes a short video trailer (also available on YouTube) and for more videos see the AmazeVR YouTube and Vimeo channels. –Matthew] CHA EUN-WOO’s First-Ever AMAZE VR Concert “MEMORIES” Launches Global Cinema Tour on June 18 Screening in 21 Cities Worldwide — Including Korea, the U.S., Mexico, China, Japan, and Across Southeast Asia News provided by AmazeVRMay 21, 2025 LOS ANGELES, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The K-pop and K-drama sensation…

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  • Call: gamevironments 2025 Research Day: Video Games and Our Futures

    Published:

    Call for Applications: gamevironments 2025 Research DayTheme: Video Games and Our FuturesOctober 22, 2025Hybrid: University of Bremen, Germany and onlinehttps://journals.suub.uni-bremen.de/index.php/gamevironments/gvresearchday Deadline for applications (CV and 500-word abstract): June 30, 2025 The gamevironments Journal is hosting the 4th Annual Research Day (three previous workshops were hosted by the International Academy for Study of Gaming and Religion, IASGAR). Exclusively for early-stage researchers, graduate students, and doctoral students, the workshop welcomes research on all aspects of games and gaming, including media-centered as well as actor-centered approaches, perspectives of game developers and publishers, and viewpoints of gamers. The gamevironments Research Day 2025 offers a…

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  • The tyranny of algorithmic personification and why we must resist it

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    [This “Curmudgeon Corner” essay from the journal AI and Society argues that artificial intelligence technologies should be designed to avoid rather than expand the use of social cues that evoke medium-as-social-actor presence. –Matthew] [Image: “Replika AI companions can be customised to suit the relationship needs of users. Credit: Luka/Replika.” Source: ABC News (Australia)] The tyranny of algorithmic personification and why we must resist it By Palanichamy Naveen, Dr.N.G.P. Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, IndiaApril 26, 2025 We live in an age where algorithms no longer merely personalize—they personify. From virtual assistants that feign empathy to recommendation engines that masquerade as confidants,…

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  • Call: Future of Magazine International Conference: (Re)Thinking Magazines: Challenges and Opportunities

    Published:

    Call for Papers: Future of Magazine International Conference: (Re)Thinking Magazines: Challenges and OpportunitiesOctober 29- 31, 2025Lusófona UniversityLisbon, Portugal [and online]https://maglab.cicant.ulusofona.pt/fom-2025 Deadline for submission of abstracts: June 9, 2025 (extended) MagLab is pleased to announce the open call for the second edition of the biennial Future of Magazine (FoM) international conference, organized by CICANT, Lusófona University’s research center, taking place from October 29 to 31, 2025. The conference will feature paper presentations, poster sessions, and a remote panel, offering multiple formats for sharing and discussing original research. The most outstanding contributions will be invited to develop their work for publication in…

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  • Orson Welles can now be your AI-generated tour guide

    Published:

    [In the latest example of using presence-evoking technology to create the illusion that someone who has died is alive, Variety reports that you can now listen to Orson Welles tell you personalized stories related to your location or other points of interest with the Storyrabbit service. In the audio clip (via Vimeo) included in the original version of the story, Welles says “I now walk beside you.” (Note that using his voice is free until June 1). –Matthew] [Image: Credit: Len Trievnor/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images] Orson Welles Can Now Be Your AI-Generated Tour Guide By Todd SpanglerMay 21, 2025 Nearly 40…

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  • Call: GenAI & Creative Practices: Past, Present, and Future Conference

    Published:

    Call for Papers: GenAI & Creative Practices: Past, Present, and Future ConferenceDecember 17-18, 2025University of AmsterdamNetherlandshttps://rdt.uva.nl/genai–creative-practices/genai–creative-practices.html Deadline for submission of abstracts: June 5, 2025 Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is fundamentally reshaping our understanding of human-machine interactions. For the first time, machines can generate coherent text, create visually compelling images, produce short videos, and even complete unfinished musical compositions. The widespread adoption of this kind of AI is changing creative production and consumption, reigniting debates on the nature of creativity and its evolving trajectory. AI-driven prompting has introduced new opportunities, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds—including those without technical expertise—to engage in…

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  • Family creates AI video to depict Arizona man addressing his killer in court

    Published:

    [This Reuters story, and the excerpts of coverage from the BBC and ABC15 Arizona, describe the use of artificial intelligence to simulate a murder victim at the sentencing of his killer. See the original Reuters story for a second image and a 3:46 minute video (also available on YouTube). For an in-depth essay on this topic, see “Should a Killer’s Victim Be Able to ‘Speak’ at a Sentencing Through AI?” in Reason. -Matthew] [Image: Source: BBC] Family creates AI video to depict Arizona man addressing his killer in court By Liliana Salgado and Andrew GoudswardMay 9, 20254 CHANDLER, ARIZONA –…

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  • Call: “On Games Matters: Innovating Game Studies” Conference

    Published:

    Call for Papers (and proposal for publication): Games Matters: Innovating Game Studies and ResearchSAE Institute – Conservatory of Matera, Polytechnic University of BariDecember 12, 2025Bari, Italyhttps://www.ais-sociologia.it/evento/games-matters-innovating-game-studies-and-research/ Deadline for submission of abstracts: June 30, 2025 The rapid evolution of technology has profoundly influenced the way games are designed, experienced, and interpreted. As a medium that blends artistic vision, technological advancement, and cultural narratives, games represent a fertile ground for examining innovation at multiple levels. The integration of artificial intelligence, procedural generation, immersive technologies, and interactive storytelling has reshaped not only game mechanics but also the very nature of player engagement and…

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  • How VR (and presence) could transform prostate cancer rehabilitation

    Published:

    [Here’s a timely news item related to presence. It’s from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, where the original includes three more images. Watch a short video of Doug Neilsen using VR on the Institute’s Instagram. Note the link to the new publication, “Patient Perceptions of Virtual Reality in Cancer Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Study”; here’s the abstract: “This study investigates the use of virtual reality (VR) for cancer rehabilitation (CR) among patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Interviews with 20 participants revealed that the engaging visuals and gamified exercise routines of the…

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