Converge-Con | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Converge-Con is UNC Hussman’s first festival at the intersection of human creativity and AI. Through free showcases, conversations and hands-on strategy sessions, we will explore how generative tools are reshaping everything from art to ethics.

Converge-Con is for all: UNC staff, researchers, students, faculty and professionals.

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Wednesday, Oct. 22

Opening reception

Thursday, Oct. 23

AI and the New Rules of Communication: The rules of communications are being re-written in real time, driven ever faster by the speed of technological innovation. In this session, we’ll examine the impact of recent advancements on audience behaviors and the ways brands, companies and organizations can actively keep pace with change… From modernizing the concept of the “newsroom” to preparing for reputational opportunities and risks posed by generative AI. We’ll also gaze into the not-so-distant future and discuss ways innovation is heralding a new era in storytelling, reputation management and corporate communications, and the new roles it’ll require of us all by the end of 2025.

AI Ethics Workshop: Co-hosted by the Parr Center of Ethics.

AI and the Modern Newsroom: Journalism has always been one of the industries most affected by technological change. From the town crier to the printing press, from radio to television to the Internet, it has remained. And now AI is here, presenting challenges and opportunities unlike any that came before. In this session, Tyler Dukes, lead editor of innovation at McClatchy Media, walks us through the modern AI-driven newsroom and takes a look at the future.

AI and the Future of Advertising: In this session, Peter Sherman, the former executive vice president of Omnicom, will explore the opportunities and challenges AI brings to global marketing. Drawing on his experience guiding some of the world’s largest brands, Sherman will discuss how marketers can responsibly and effectively integrate generative AI into practice.

AI Video as a New Form of Storytelling: AI-generated video presents unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Is it an entirely new art form, or the death of visual reality? Or both? In this session, Jarrard Cole, supervising producer in live journalism at the Wall Street Journal, debuts his first completely AI-generated short film, “Me and My Robot,” and discusses the pros and cons of this new storytelling medium.

AI & the Undergraduate Student Experience: At this event, UNC student leaders will moderate a panel discussion on the academic, ethical, legal and social implications of using AI in undergraduate education. Panelists and audience members will get a chance to share their experiences and opinions about a technology that is rapidly changing the college game.

Creativity Coffee Break: AI & Music: With Professors Mark Katz and Pablo Vega, UNC Music Department.

AI and the Creative Process: Colby Teixeira ’24, art director at TBWA, explores how generative AI is reshaping advertising’s creative process, from concept development to visual storytelling.

AI & the Graduate Student Experience: At this event, leaders from the UNC Graduate and Professional Student Government will moderate a panel discussion on how AI is affecting the graduate student experience. Has AI changed the value of a graduate degree? Has it changed the way graduate students learn, research, work and live? Audience members will get a chance to share their own experiences and opinions.

Entering the AI Workforce: Recent UNC Hussman grad Christina Mangelsdorf ’24 shares her journey of searching for an entry-level role as a case study in learning to embrace AI as a tool to stand out. From research to real-world trials, she explores the ups and downs of navigating post-grad life and finding new ways to stand out in an ever-evolving professional landscape.

Town Hall: Risk/Reward: This town hall meeting will explore the potentially catastrophic risks of AI, including environmental damage, stress on the power grid, deepfakes and reality apathy, and existential threats to humanity itself. The panel will include: Mike DiPetrillo, CEO of Terra-Trust; Caroline Baxendale ’18, Digital Producer at CNN; Dr. Mohammad Jarrahi, Professor at the School of Information and Library Science at UNC; and Dr. Thomas Hofweber, Professor of Philosophy at UNC. Students will have the chance to talk to the experts in an open, vibrant setting.

Echoes in Motion: An Iterative AI Journey: The renowned media and lighting designer Tao Wang will debut an immersive, interactive AI-driven experience, made especially for Converge-Con.

Friday, Oct. 24

AI & Education: Teaching Showcase: Co-hosted by the UNC Center for Faculty Excellence.

AI vs. Human Mock Criminal Trial: In an exciting live experiment, the UNC School of Law will host a first-ever “AI versus human” mock criminal trial in its on-campus courtroom. A human law student will serve as the district attorney, competing against a defense attorney powered entirely by an AI chatbot.

Prompt-a-Thon & Closing Reception: During the closing reception for Converge-Con, watch as experts from various fields compete for prizes in timed AI prompting challenges.