CALL FOR PAPERS: CONVERSATIONS 2025 – NINTH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CHATBOT RESEARCH AND HUMAN-CENTRED AI, LÜBECK, GERMANY, NOVEMBER 12-13

You are cordially invited to submit papers for CONVERSATIONS 2025, a two-day research symposium dedicated to the latest advancements in chatbots and human-centred AI. This year's CONVERSATIONS will be held in the historic city of Lübeck, Germany, November 12-13, 2025 – during the Lübeck Week of AI.

CONVERSATIONS 2025 aims to bring together researchers and practitioners from around the world to share their insights and experiences on the research front of human-centred AI. The symposium will cover a range of related topics, including chatbot research and design, human-AI interaction, human-AI collaboration and decision-making, trustworthy AI, and human-centred research on generative AI and large language models.

From this year, CONVERSATIONS is framed as a symposium to reflect the high quality of papers and discussions at the event. Paper presentations will be conducted on-site at the symposium location. There will be opportunities for online participation for non-presenting participants. Accepted full and short papers will be included in the CONVERSATIONS proceedings published as a volume in Springer LNCS.

===
DATE: November 12-13
LOCATION: TH Lübeck - University of Applied Sciences, Germany
SYMPOSIUM FORMAT: On-site presentations, on-site and online attendance.
PAPER SUBMISSION DEADLINE (firm deadline): September 3

WEBSITE: https://2025.conversations.ws/
===

CONVERSATIONS 2025 accepts the following submission categories:

FULL PAPERS: Empirical studies, theoretical contributions, design research, or presentations of chatbots and human-centred AI that advance the state-of-the-art (12-16 pages, Springer LNCS format). To be presented at the symposium and published in the Springer LNCS proceedings.

SHORT PAPERS: Preliminary findings from empirical studies or innovative implementations of chatbots and human-centred AI with potential to advance the state-of-the-art (6-8 pages, Springer LNCS format). To be presented at the symposium and published in the Springer LNCS proceedings.

POSITION PAPERS AND PROJECT PRESENTATIONS: Presentations of exciting research projects, sharing of preliminary results and work in progress, or author positions on open issues regarding chatbots and human-centred AI (3-6 pages, Springer LNCS format). To be presented at the symposium and published at the CONVERSATIONS webpage.

The symposium is truly interdisciplinary, historically spanning fields such as informatics, media and communication science, linguistics and philosophy, psychology and sociology, management and marketing, engineering, design, and human-computer interaction. We look forward to continuing the tradition of interdisciplinary exchange at CONVERSATIONS 2025.

IMPORTANT DATES
- September 3: Submission deadline (firm deadline)
- October 3: Author notification
- October 20: Submission of revised papers
- November 12-13: Symposium

CALL FOR REVIEWERS – PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Also this year, we have an open call for reviewers to CONVERSATIONS 2025. If you want to contribute to the review process, thereby helping to select the papers to be presented at the symposium (https://2025.conversations.ws/call-for-reviewers-program-committee-members/). Reviewers should have a PhD, be in a PhD education program, or have substantial relevant experience from industry.

KEY TOPICS OF INTEREST
The following topics are of particular interest.

1. CHATBOT RESEARCH AND DESIGN. Insight on chatbot user groups, their context of use, and their user experience. Design for efficient and engaging conversational interactions. Democratization of chatbots and chatbots for all. Developments in chatbot frameworks and platforms.

2. HUMAN-AI INTERACTION. Studies of the dynamics of human interaction with AI systems. Insight to help understand and improve how humans perceive, interpret, and respond to AI. Design principles and guidelines for human-AI interaction.

3. HUMAN-AI COLLABORATION AND DECISION MAKING. Explorations of the synergy between humans and AI in collaboration and decision-making. Sliding decision making between humans and AI. Collaborative intelligence, where human intuition and creativity are enhanced by AI’s data-processing capabilities. Frameworks for effective human-AI partnerships in various domains.

4. TRUSTWORTHY AI. Human agency and oversight of AI systems. Ethical aspects of AI, including fairness and non-discrimination. Transparency and accountability of AI. Alignment of AI-systems to human values. Building justified public trust in AI. AI for societal and environmental well-being.

5. HUMAN-CENTRED RESEARCH ON GENERATIVE AI AND LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS. User uptake and experiences of generative AI and large language models. Business and government applications. Societal implications. Impact of generative AI and large language models on education, creativity and knowledge work.

APPLICATION AREAS
The set of relevant application areas for chatbots and human-centred AI is increasing. We hope to include work in areas such as the following:
- GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE. Providing information and services to citizens or supporting government service provision.
- AT WORK. The use of chatbots and human-centred AI applications in decision support tools, as interface for business intelligence applications, and to support general office work.
- AT HOME. The use of chatbots and human-centred AI to find and access information and services in a home environment. Applications for home assistants.
- CUSTOMER SERVICE. Chatbots and human-centred AI applications used as part of service provision involving end with users – e.g., for support and information purposes.
- EDUCATION. Chatbots and human-centred AI used to support teaching, training, or administrative and social tasks in a learning environment.
- SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT. Chatbots and AI applications for coding support. Opportunities and challenges.
- HEALTH AND THERAPY. Chatbots and human-centre AI applications for health advice, medical counselling, therapeutic programs, or physical training programs.
- MEDIA AND JOURNALISM. Chatbots and AI applications supporting news reporting and consumption. Use cases and critical discussions.
- CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. Chatbots and human-centred AI applications to engage consumers in creative industries services or events.
- ECOMMERCE AND MARKETING. Chatbots and human-centred AI applications supporting marketing for brands or brokering and sales of goods and services.

The above list is not exhaustive. One can go beyond it to explore novel areas of applications.

ORGANIZERS
The organising committee of CONVERSATIONS 2025 includes:

Asbjørn Følstad, SINTEF, Norway
Sebastian Hobert, TH Lübeck – University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Symeon Papadopoulos, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Greece
Effie L.-C. Law, Durham University, UK
Theo Araujo, University of Amsterdam, the Netherland
Ewa Luger, University of Edinburgh, UK
Petter Bae Brandtzaeg, University of Oslo and SINTEF, Norway