A Blueprint for Building Iconic Media Brands

Winning Back Gen Z One Swipe at a Time

Traditional media is losing ground with younger audiences who value authenticity and personal connection. A 2025 Statista report shows that 33% of Gen Z and Millennials trust influencer recommendations, more than double the 15% who trust traditional outlets like newspapers and TV. In an influencer-led era, how can legacy media evolve its formats, partnerships, and narratives to stay relevant and rebuild trust?

The AI Rewrite of the Content Economy

Artificial intelligence is transforming how content is created, distributed, and consumed, upending traditional hierarchies across publishing, platforms, and advertising. As algorithms reshape what billions see, the very economics of attention are being rewritten. This session explores how AI is redefining the relationship between creators, distributors, and audiences: from personalization and automation to integrity and transparency. What does a sustainable, human-centered content economy look like when machines increasingly decide what’s shown, shared, and valued?

Closing Remarks

Becoming Someone Else

In a world where everyone performs and visibility is infinite, what does it mean to truly become someone else? Samer Ismael and a fellow actor explore how the craft of transformation evolves in the age of social media, AI, and endless talent. This session examines how preparation, discipline, and emotional depth can still set real actors apart in an era where attention is easy but authenticity is rare.

Building Bridges Between Physical and Digital Worlds

As the boundaries between the physical and digital blur, realism is no longer the destination—it’s the starting point. Hao Li, CEO of Pinscreen and Associate Professor at MBZUAI, reveals how advances in generative AI, facial synthesis, and neural rendering are enabling lifelike avatars, real-time communication, and new dimensions of creative expression. From film and gaming to education and social interaction, he shows how these technologies can bridge not only worlds but also people, turning pixels into presence and transforming how we connect, collaborate, and trust in an increasingly virtual age.

AI for content creation: Creativity Meets Automation

Learn how to harness AI tools to generate innovative promotional content that captures audience attention and drives engagement. Trainer: Varouj Joulfayan, IMI