Digitalization and new communication technologies reshape communication from, about and within organizations. Digital platforms become dominant, redefining how and on which grounds organizations interact with stakeholders, challenging previous organizational practices and theories and opening new grounds for communication research. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation reshape the communication environment – from how organizational or journalistic content are created, distributed, or consumed, to broader practices within the organizational environment, such as the emergence of human-machine communication or of algorithmic management. This puts forward interesting and challenging questions in communication research.
Key research themes encompass the consequences of AI for trust in organizations, the impact of conversational agents on stakeholder communication, and how generative AI interacts with news and strategic communication, shaping information about organizations and affecting their legitimacy. Additionally, the study explores how AI modifies the way organizations target and find talent, examining whether the automation of certain organizational processes (e.g., hiring procedures) introduces biases. Furthermore, it delves into the impact of algorithmic decision-making within organizations and its implications for stakeholder relationships.