News from NICO | Seminar on AI and social realities

Nitte Institute of Communication (NICO) in association with the Institution's Innovation Council (IIC), organized a seminar titled ‘Artificial Intelligence and Social Realities: Negotiating Inclusion and the Boundaries between the Real and the Simulated’ on 5th February 2026. The event brought together experts to dissect the dual nature of AI, both as a tool for cultural preservation and a potential source of digital distortion.

Dr. Moulya B, Principal, NICO provided a macro-perspective on how AI is reshaping modern society. She emphasized that as AI becomes more integrated into daily life, inclusion must go beyond being a buzzword and become a core design principle to ensure no community is left behind by rapid automation.

Shifting the focus to linguistic heritage, Dr. Sayeegeetha, HoD, Humanities presented her significant work on Indian language technologies. She specifically highlighted her research on the Koraga community of coastal Karnataka. "Language is the soul of a culture", she said as she discussed the development of a specialized dictionary for the Koraga community - a project aimed at using technology to safeguard an endangered language from digital extinction. Addressing the more unsettling aspects of the tech revolution, Mr. Prajwal NR, faculty, NICO spoke on the growing difficulty of distinguishing between reality and simulation. He warned that in a world mediated by advanced algorithms, the line between "the real and the fake" is increasingly porous, leading to potential social confusion and a crisis of trust in digital media.

The program saw an active engagement of 70 participants, including students and faculty. The session was seamlessly coordinated by faculty members, Dr. Nesara Kadanakuppe and Dr. Pranamya Bhat.