AI and Polarization in Online and Offline Media Environments

27 Feb 2026 (Fri)

On 23 February 2026, Professor Yong-Chan KIM of the College of Communication at Yonsei University delivered a seminar entitled, “AI and Polarization in Online and Offline Media Environments.” 

In the seminar, Professor Kim underscored that interlocking polarization patterns now emerging in both online and offline spheres are jeopardizing the prospects for inclusive communication across society. While polarization studies have long concentrated on the online domain, a distinctive integrated online-offline polarization dynamic has begun to take shape. This dynamic intersects with established urban divisions along class, spatial, and socioeconomic lines, as well as with patterns of segregation and inequality. The trend is expected to intensify with the continued digitalization of cities. Drawing on three papers grounded in Communication Infrastructure Theory, Prof. Kim’s research investigated how residents in different neighborhoods of Seoul engage with the challenge of “difference” through diverse communication strategies and assessed the part played by AI-based digital platforms in these processes.  




 
More than 20 faculty members and doctoral students attended the seminar. The academic event featured a dynamic and intellectually stimulating atmosphere, which illustrated the department’s firm commitment to academic exchange and has substantially enriched scholarly dialogue in the field of communication research.

Prof. Yong-Chan Kim is the Vice President for International Affairs and a Professor in the Department of Communication at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. He directs two research units at Yonsei: The Urban Communication Center and the Urban Communication Lab. Having published over 80 articles in prestigious journals, Prof. Kim has committed in research programs focusing on urban communication, new media technology, and risk society.