In this episode, Dr. Lauren Siegel and Dr. Ryan Young interview Dr Tippayanet Sorosrungruang about virtual influencers and her research on human–AI interaction, AI-enabled persuasion, and ethics. She distinguishes avatars (representations of real people) from virtual influencers (fictional characters built with CGI, generative AI, and deepfakes by human teams) and outlines types including human-like and non-human forms, plus brand-owned versus free-agent characters. Examples include Lil Miquela’s fashion/activism persona and “Nobody Sausage,” which has high engagement despite being non-human. The discussion covers why people relate to virtual influencers (computer-as-social-actor theory, social cues, reduced uncanny valley), who is receptive (younger consumers and those with high cognitive empathy but emotional overwhelm), and risks as tools democratise, including manipulation, sensitive endorsements, and hyperrealistic deception, alongside potential inclusivity representations and emerging companion/therapy-style AI avatars.

01:10 What Are Virtual Influencers

02:25 Avatars vs Fictional Characters

03:53 Lil Miquela And Branding

06:27 Why We Connect With AI

08:47 Nobody Sausage Success

12:05 Who Responds Most

16:14 Ethics And Regulation

18:57 Diversity And Virtual Death

20:05 Representation Versus Jobs

23:51 Future AI Companions

24:52 Publications And Wrap Up

In this episode, hosts Dr. Lauren Siegel and Dr. Ram Shamseen interview Dr. Pamela Zigomo about critical event theory, which examines underlying power relationships in event spaces and how event design can reproduce or disrupt inequalities. Zigomo discusses “entertainization,” describing how charities use popular entertainment to embed social messages, citing Global Citizen Festival’s model of requiring advocacy actions for access. She critiques past cause-related mega-events like Live Aid and Human Rights Now, noting research on limited long-term impact, Western-centric definitions of “top-selling” artists that excluded African performers, and “poverty porn” imagery that left audiences with distorted perceptions of the Global South. She previews her forthcoming book on third-sector event design beyond fundraising and shares post-colonial research on Southern African polo events and fan-community dynamics in fantasy football (FPL), highlighting recurring cycles of reproduced power structures.

00:30 Meet the Hosts

01:17 Critical Event Studies

03:30 Global Citizen Example

05:34 Entertainization Explained

09:57 New Book on Third Sector

11:42 Charity Events Beyond Fundraising

14:39 Live Aid Critique and Poverty Porn

19:17 Participation and Representation

22:07 Polo Events and Postcolonial Mimicry

28:33 Fantasy Football Fan Communities

In this episode, host Dr. Lauren Siegel, joined by Dr. Rami Shamseen, interviews Dr. Agnieszka Rydzik (University of Lincoln) about her research on how increasing use of technology in hospitality affects workers’ experiences, especially since the pandemic accelerated tools like QR-code ordering and self-service systems. Drawing on dozens of interviews with workers and industry stakeholders, she discusses how technology can intensify work, reduce staffing, create new pressures when systems fail, and shift customer frustration onto employees, often without enough training. Agnieszka also explores how these changes can reduce meaningful human interaction with customers, coworkers, and suppliers, contributing to disconnection and stress, while affecting workers differently by role and workplace.

01:25 Pandemic Tech Acceleration

03:57 Defining The Research Focus

04:35 Peak Times Staffing Pressures

08:09 Training And Tech Troubles

09:48 Why Hospitality Matters

12:03 Tech Reduces Human Connection

14:05 Invisible Workplace Tech Shifts

17:00 Gen Z Tech Reality

17:34 Human Connection Over Apps

18:01 Worker Centric Tech Rethink

18:29 Hospitality Futures Tool

20:39 Bartender Audio Narrative

22:19 Dehumanization and Manners

29:01 Guidelines for Better Practice