Jessica M. Szczuka

Dr Jessica Szczuka is a media psychologist and head of the research group INTITEC (Intimacy with and through Technologies) at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Affiliated with the Research Center for Trustworthy Data Science and Security, she investigates how artificial intelligence reshapes human intimacy, emotional attachment and moral evaluation. Her work focuses on emerging relationships with chatbots, social robots and generative AI, examining how people form trust, experience closeness and negotiate boundaries with artificial agents. She has published in leading journals such as Nature Human Behaviour and Frontiers in Psychology, and her research has been featured in international media and public debates, including contributions to the German Ethics Council and SXSW. Methodologically, she integrates experimental studies, eye-tracking, longitudinal field research and in-depth interviews to capture how individuals experience emotional closeness with artificial agents. In addition to her research activities, she serves on the Editorial Board of Media Psychology and Technology, Mind, and Behavior.