Trust under pressure: Science communication in the face of AI junk and deepfakes
Building on last year's training series, which was organized by the OeAD Center for Citizen Science on the topic of “Artificial Intelligence in Science Communication,” the discussion of AI will now be continued and deepened in a targeted manner. The new training series builds on existing experience and addresses current challenges arising from the increasing use of AI-supported systems in science communication.
The module “Trust under pressure: Science communication in the face of AI junk and deepfakes” kicks off the 2026 series.
So-called AI junk is increasingly spreading in the digital space, raising new questions about factuality, transparency, and trustworthiness. AI-generated texts, images, and videos open up new communication possibilities, but at the same time harbor risks such as hallucinations, distorted representations, or manipulations that are difficult to recognize. The training course addresses these key challenges and focuses on recognizing typical AI artifacts and bias, using practical tools for fact-checking, and dealing with deepfakes and misinformation in a reflective manner.
Speakers: Thomas Sommerer and Jaro Krieger-Lamina
Date: March 18, 2026, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
The event language is German.