Kick-off: Prof. Axel Bruns opens the 2026 ComAI Lectures

The ComAI Lectures return in the summer semester of 2026 with a special highlight: On the very first day of the semester, April 7, a high-profile lecture will kick off the series.

Under the title “Revisiting ‘the’ Public Sphere and Its Algorithmically Shaped Publics,” renowned communication scholar Axel Bruns will address central questions regarding the transformation of the public sphere in the digital age. As a Mercator Fellow at ZeMKI, he will bring international perspectives and current research to the discussion.

Given the ongoing debates about digital public spheres—most recently against the backdrop of the death of Jürgen Habermas, whose work has significantly shaped the theory of the public sphere—the opening lecture promises to be particularly timely.

The event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Bremen Press Club (Schnoor 27). All interested parties are cordially invited to attend and share the event. More information about the lecture is available here.