HBKU hosts conference on persuasive technology – The Peninsula

HBKU hosts conference on persuasive technology – The Peninsula

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)’s College of Science and Engineering (CSE) hosted the 17th International Conference on Persuasive Technology on March 29 and 31.

The virtual event facilitated a lively knowledge exchange between academics, researchers, and industry practitioners in the field of behaviour design and persuasive technology (PT), aimed at influencing people’s attitudes or behaviours.

A dynamic programme of three workshops, one tutorial, a poster and lightning talks session and four main track sessions engaged distinguished speakers from more than 20 countries and over 240 registrants from 35 countries. As the host institution, HBKU’s CSE led the conference programme, with Dr. Raian Ali, Professor in the Information and Computing Technology Division, as a General Chair, Dr. Dena Al-Thani as the Chair of the Workshops and Tutorials Track, and Dr. Marwa Qaraqe as the Chair of a special track on Sensor-based Persuasion.

Expert-led discussions over the three days centred on advances in technological capabilities, including smart environments and artificial intelligence, as well as tailored and personalized persuasion in health, sustainability, education, and well-being. Privacy, trust, and security were key considerations.

A keynote address by Dr. Evangelos Karapanos, Associate Professor, Cyprus University of Technology, discussed Behavior Change Technologies (BCTs) as promising tools for addressing key societal