Presentation at the Generative Images Conference

🔍Visual Communication in the Age of AI: Research Spotlight at Bremen Conference

At the Generative Images – Generative Imageries: Challenges of Visual Communication (Research) in the Age of AI conference, researcher Isaac Bravo presented groundbreaking findings on the role of manipulated visual content in climate change discourse on Twitter.

Bravo’s talk, “Computational Analysis of Manipulated Visual Content in Climate Change Discourse on Twitter”, addressed the growing influence of AI-generated imagery in shaping public opinion, particularly on divisive topics like climate change. With a dataset of over one million images and user replies from 2019–2022, the study investigates how generative vs. real images affect engagement levels among climate change believers and skeptics.

Using Large Language Models (LLMs) and advanced techniques like BERTopic and Latent Semantic Scaling, the research reveals that believers are more responsive to real images, while manipulated visuals—though fewer—trigger notable engagement and can distort public perception.

The presentation emphasized both theoretical insights into polarized discourse and a methodological contribution by showcasing tools for detecting generative content. This work stands at the intersection of media literacy, AI ethics, and climate communication, raising critical questions about credibility and influence in the digital age.

📍 Event: Generative Images – Generative Imageries 📅 Date: November 20–22, 2024 🌍 Location: Bremen, Germany