[Air-L] CfP on "AI Agents and Emerging Social Relationships"

[Lei Guo]

Dear colleagues,

This is a call for papers for a special issue of *Communication and Change
<https://link.springer.com/journal/44382>* on *AI Agents and Emerging
Social Relationships: Evidence-Based Perspectives on Human–AI Relational
Interactions. *

*Guest Editors:*
Dr. Jonathan Zhu, Chair Professor, City University of Hong Kong
Dr. Bolin Cao, Associate Professor, Shenzhen University

*Overview:*

The increasing presence of AI agents (including but not limited to chatbots
and embodied conversational systems) is not only transforming communication
practices but also reshaping the contours of social relationships. From
intimate connections and caregiving roles to companionship and
collaboration, AI agents are entering social relationships once considered
exclusively human. As these systems become more integrated into our daily
lives, it becomes imperative to ask: *What kinds of social relationships
are being formed with and through AI agents?*

This Special Issue invites original research that explores the *formation,
negotiation, and transformation of social relationships involving AI agents*,
with a focus on real-world settings and empirically grounded approaches.

We particularly welcome submissions that, with or without an explicit
theoretical framework, go beyond speculative discussion to offer
*evidence-based
and contextually grounded* accounts of how AI agents are embedded in
everyday relational practices.

While human–AI interaction is inevitably interdisciplinary, we encourage
contributions that *make clear conceptual, operational, or empirical
advancements within the field of communication research*. Relevance to
human communication should go beyond merely citing communication theories;
instead, submissions should engage substantively with
communication-specific questions, perspectives, or frameworks.

*Themes of Interest (include but are not limited to):*

   - AI-mediated intimate and romantic relationships
   - Parent–child dynamics in AI-augmented households
   - AI as companions, confidants, or caregivers
   - Human–AI collaboration and co-agency in work or creative contexts
   - Cultural, ethical, and affective implications of AI-sociality
   - Methodological innovations in studying AI-embedded social relations
   - Longitudinal or ethnographic insights into AI integration in daily life

We seek papers that deeply engage with the *specificity of human–AI
interaction*, that articulate what is novel or distinctive about these
emerging relationships, and that contribute to broader understandings
of *psychological
and social transformation* in the age of AI.

*Closed Workshop:* Authors of selected submissions will be invited to
participate in a closed-door workshop in *November 2025*, aimed at
fostering dialogue among contributors and refining manuscripts through
critical discussion and peer feedback. This workshop will be held in person
at *Fudan University*, and participation is strongly encouraged for authors
of accepted submissions. Fudan University will cover *round-trip travel*
and *accommodation expenses* for invited participants.

*Important Dates:*

   - *Extended Abstract: *Deadline -* August 10, 2025*; Length: 600–1,200
   words
   - Authors of accepted abstracts will be notified by *August 20, 2025*,
      and invited to submit a full paper draft.
   - *Initial Full Paper Draft: *Deadline - *October 10, 2025*; Length:
   6,000–10,000 words, including abstract, keywords, main text, references,
   tables, and figures
   - *Notification of Workshop Invitation: *Authors will receive
   notification by *late October 2025*, including whether they are invited
   to attend the closed, in-person workshop.
   - *Workshop Participation: *Date - *Late November 2025*; Location
   -  Fudan University, Shanghai, China
   - *Final manuscript submission *(post-workshop, via journal
   system): Deadline - *January 15, 2026*; Submissions will undergo a blind
   peer review process.
   - *Expected publication: *First half of 2026

*Submission Guidelines:*

Authors should follow the journal’s standard formatting and submission
procedures. Please indicate that your manuscript is intended for the *Special
Issue on **AI Agents and Emerging Social Relationships* in your email
subject line and cover letter.

Submissions (both extended abstracts and full papers) should be sent
directly to both *cac at fudan.edu.cn* <cac at fudan.edu.cn> and
*loniceralin at gmail.com* <loniceralin at gmail.com>.

*Contact:* For inquiries regarding the special issue or suitability of a
manuscript, please contact Guest Editor Dr. Bolin Cao at:
*loniceralin at gmail.com* <loniceralin at gmail.com>.

*About the Journal:*

*Communication and Change <https://link.springer.com/journal/44382> *(C&C)
is a peer-reviewed, open-access international journal dedicated to
advancing the understanding of communication in the context of rapid
technological and societal transformation. With emerging technologies such
as AI and big data reshaping communication practices, social structures,
and media landscapes, *Communication and Change* seeks to foster innovative
research and theory-building that explores the dynamic interplay
between communication and change.

C&C is published by Springer and is institutionally based at the School of
Journalism, Fudan University. Professor James E. Katz at Boston University
and Professor Baohua Zhou at Fudan are the journal’s co-Editors-in-Chief.