The New Landscape of AI-Driven Communication

This session examines how AI is reshaping communication, media, and storytelling—and how professionals can engage with these changes responsibly and creatively. We will explore the rise of Human + AI workflows, the role of AI in amplifying (rather than replacing) human creativity, and how communicators can critically shape, question, and co-create AI systems instead of simply adapting to new tools. Instructors will discuss how their courses help professionals traverse this new frontier of human–technology collaboration—from building collaborative intelligence into everyday workflows to rethinking what it means to communicate, tell stories, and make media in an era of AI-driven communication. Reserve your virtual seat today!  Instructor BiosStephen McConnell (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/20757-stephen-mcconnell.html) Dr. Stephen J. McConnell is an award-winning educator, journalist, and researcher who co-developed NYU's Certificate in Communications & AI. His work focuses on human–AI collaboration in communication, storytelling, and productivity, with an emphasis on ethical and responsible AI use. He regularly speaks on these topics and is currently writing a book on learning and working with AI for educators and professionals.Libby Clarke (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/13520-sharon-e-clarke.html) Libby Clarke is a designer, educator, and creative director with over 25 years of experience in branding, illustration, and visual communication. As Creative Director of Stoneroller Cooperative, she helps nonprofits, cultural institutions, and educational organizations build mission-driven design systems rooted in strategy, inclusivity, and ethical practice. She teaches and lectures on visual literacy, accessibility, and values-driven creative processes.Ching Fu- Lan (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/21507-ching-fu-lan.html) Dr. Ching-Fu Lan is a qualitative researcher, educator, and founder of Citizen Invention, an organization dedicated to design thinking and creative STEM education. With extensive experience working with K–12 and adult learners, he focuses on human-centered, maker-driven approaches that empower individuals to solve real-world problems creatively. He has taught and conducted research at Columbia University's EdLab and brings deep expertise in innovation, learning, and social education.Boris Kievsky (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/20853-boris-kievsky.html) Boris Kievsky is Chief Storyteller and "Nerd for Good" at dotOrgStrategy, where he helps nonprofits amplify their impact through storytelling and technology. With a background spanning programming, theater, and film, he brings a unique perspective on building community and driving change through digital media. Over the past decade, he has worked with hundreds of nonprofits to strengthen communications, marketing, and fundraising efforts.Ishmael Mondragon (https://www.sps.nyu.edu/faculty-directory/21583-ishmael-mondragon.html) Ishmael Mondragón, MA (English) / MS (Professional Writing), is an educator and writer whose work bridges literacy, storytelling, and emerging technologies. From 2023 through 2024, he taught Composition, Fiction, and Freshman Forum, helping students build critical academic and literary skills. In 2016, after helping adult learners advance two GED/HiSET levels per session, he was selected by the New Mexico Higher Education Department to attend the U.S. Department of Education's College and Career Conference. Later, his short story The Devil at the Gay Bar: Revitalizing and Queering Northern New Mexican Folktales appeared in the 2019 NACCS proceedings. In 2022 and 2023, he introduced "Ethically Using AI in Writing" workshops in his courses and now utilizes AI in his creative work, using it to modernize regional cuentos—melding voices of the past, present, and future.