Susan Brennan, Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University, will present her course “Where Are the Humans in Human-Centered AI?” at AIces 2026. Dr. Brennan is internationally recognized for her research in psycholinguistics, human communication, and interactive systems, with particular focus on how humans coordinate meaning in real-time dialogue.
Her course examines the cognitive foundations that underlie natural interaction, highlighting what AI systems must learn to engage effectively with human users.
Key Topics Covered
- Mechanisms of Human Communication: Insights into grounding, perspective-taking, conversational repair, and adaptive behavior, which form the basis for human
collaboration. - Limitations of Generative AI: Analysis of why large language models can produce fluent output yet still fail to understand or participate meaningfully in collaborative
dialogue. - Human–AI Interaction Dynamics: What is required for AI systems to act as genuine partners, not merely generators of plausible text?
- Interdisciplinary Integration: Evidence from psychology, linguistics, and cognitive science illustrating how human insights can guide the next generation of interactive AI.
Dr. Brennan’s work underscores the importance of studying real human behavior to inform AI design, ensuring systems are intuitive, socially aware, and aligned with human expectations.
Attendees interested in communication, cognition, and human–AI collaboration will gain valuable insight from this course.
Secure your place for AIces 2026: https://aices.irdta.eu/2026/registration/
Event details: https://aices.irdta.eu/2026/
