Üsküdar University Dean of the Faculty of Communication Prof. Gül Esra Atalay evaluated the transformation of the communication sector in the age of artificial intelligence, the future of communication education, and how students are being prepared for this change.
"Today we are truly living in an age of communication"
Expressing that the importance of communication has increased even further with technological developments, Prof. Gül Esra Atalay said, "Today we are truly living in an age of communication. Communication has always been important, of course, but today we are in an age of hyper-connectivity where everyone is accessible at all times thanks to developments in communication technologies, smartphones, and social networks. This situation brings both positive and negative results. While technological developments facilitate communication, they radically complicate our processes of creating meaning and meeting on common ground. Being trained in communication skills makes a big difference in both personal and professional life."
"Artificial intelligence can analyze but cannot feel like a human"
Stating that a new era has been entered where human creativity and artificial intelligence will work together, Prof. Atalay said, “In the past, finding a good advertising idea, turning that idea into a visual, and writing its text would take days or weeks. Now, when you give a command to artificial intelligence tools, it stacks ten alternatives in front of you within seconds. This is exactly where our human side comes into play. Algorithms cannot fully solve which of those ten alternatives will touch a person's heart, which will point to a societal wound, or which will truly make a person laugh. Because artificial intelligence can analyze humans, but it does not have human-like feelings.”
Stating that content production has greatly increased with artificial intelligence, Prof. Atalay said, "In a world where everyone can produce content with a single click, a dump of information and content is created. When everywhere is filled with deepfake visuals and soulless texts written by artificial intelligence, people will long for authenticity. Works that make one say 'This was truly produced by a human, with an experience, with an emotion' will gain value. Of course, those who can use artificial intelligence correctly and in moderation will stand out in the sector, while those who completely surrender their minds and creativity to artificial intelligence will disappear."
"We are training communicators who manage technology, not fear it"
Expressing that communication education is also being reshaped in the age of artificial intelligence, Prof. Gül Esra Atalay said, "First and foremost, we tell our students: 'Artificial intelligence is not the competitor of the communicator, but their smart assistant.' That's why we are redesigning education with a vision that does not fear technology but manages it and adds intellectual depth to it."
Emphasizing that being a good communicator is no longer limited to strong writing skills or a good visual perspective, Prof. Atalay continued:
"Today, cognitive flexibility and the ability to communicate correctly with artificial intelligence have been added to these. We have integrated artificial intelligence courses into the curricula of all our departments. Students do not just learn theory; in applied courses, they personally experience how to give correct commands to an artificial intelligence model and how to filter the resulting output. The ability to verify the accuracy of information produced by artificial intelligence, to recognize cognitive biases, and to decipher algorithmic manipulations is at the center of our education. Authenticity and ethics form the main backbone of our courses."
Compulsory AI-focused courses in every department
Stating that generative artificial intelligence tools are extensively integrated into communication education, Prof. Atalay said that students learn not only to use these technologies but also to evaluate them with a critical perspective.
Prof. Atalay listed the courses offered at the faculty as follows:
"In our Cartoon and Animation department, there's AI-Supported Concept Development; in our Visual Communication Design department, Generative Artificial Intelligence in Visual Communication Design; in our Journalism department, Artificial Intelligence in Journalism; in our Public Relations and Publicity department, Public Relations and Artificial Intelligence Applications; in our Radio Television and Cinema department, AI-Supported Film Production and Management; in our Advertising department, Digital Advertising and Artificial Intelligence Applications; and in our New Media and Communication department, our Artificial Intelligence courses are compulsory. Besides these, our pool of elective courses also includes AI-based elective courses that allow students who wish to develop themselves in these areas.”
"Data and algorithm literacy has become mandatory in the age of deepfake"
Stating that the risks of deepfake, disinformation, and algorithmic manipulation have also increased with artificial intelligence, Prof. Atalay said, "The importance of data and algorithm literacy is understood more every day. Understanding how algorithms work, echo chambers, and the mechanisms behind data is essential to protect the target audience from manipulation."
Expressing that communication professionals must have many new skills, from reverse image search techniques to verification tools, Prof. Atalay said, "Being able to skilfully use verification tools and reverse image search techniques to distinguish deepfake, AI-generated fake visuals and texts and track digital footprints; being able to manage crisis scenarios by reacting at AI speed in a potential deepfake or reputation attack against institutions; correctly determining copyright, data privacy, and ethical boundaries are among the fundamental competencies of today's communicators."
All professions are transforming, from journalism to public relations
Stating that artificial intelligence is changing professional definitions in all areas, from journalism to advertising, from public relations to corporate communication, Prof. Atalay said, “A transformation is taking place from the journalist who writes news to the journalist who verifies and makes sense of it. Routine agency news can already be written by artificial intelligence. The journalist's new role will be to filter disinformation, conduct in-depth research, perform data journalism, and capture the human story behind that raw data. Artificial intelligence can produce thousands of micro-targeted advertising alternatives in seconds. The advertiser's job will no longer be to create from scratch; it will be to choose the one that best suits the brand's spirit and human psychology from those alternatives, manage prompts, and establish the creative strategy.”
Stating that trust management will come to the forefront in the field of public relations as well, Prof. Atalay said, "Press release distribution and media monitoring are giving way to cognitive crisis management and trust architecture. In an age where deepfake and manipulation have become so easy, PR professionals must manage reputation crises spreading at AI speed and build genuine connections between society and the brand."
Who will be the communication graduates of the future?
Prof. Atalay concluded her words as follows:
"A significant portion of the areas expected to grow fastest in the next 10-15 years will require both technical knowledge and communication skills. The communication graduates of the future will be professionals who manage algorithms, make sense of artificial intelligence, and build digital trust. Professions are changing, but the ability to communicate well is becoming more valuable than ever. New fields such as AI content strategist, digital reputation manager, disinformation analyst, data storyteller, and human-AI interaction designer will be among the career areas for communication faculty graduates."
