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ATLANTA — Research originating at Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) into empathic digital humans and human-centered artificial intelligence is continuing to evolve, with a new peer-reviewed publication, international research activity and professional recognition for Professor of Practice Jeasy Sehgal.
Sehgal’s latest paper, "Affective Scaffolding in Creative Learning: The Vivience Framework for Empathic Digital Humans as Collaborative Partners," was published Sept. 2 in the 2026 special issue of CogNexus, a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal. The publication builds on the Vivience AI research trajectory, extending work that began at CMII through the development of the digital human prototypes LightArch and Annelore and the subsequent formalization of Affective-Emotive Resonance (AER).
The new research examines how relational and affective qualities in AI interactions could influence creative learning, particularly when learners are taking risks, receiving critique, revising work or expressing uncertainty. Rather than presenting machine empathy as a demonstrated capability, the Vivience Framework proposes a structure for studying how AI systems might provide affective and relational scaffolding in human-AI interactions.
The framework introduces concepts including “Affective Load,” describing cognitive demands associated with managing emotions and uncertainty during AI-mediated interactions, and the “Neutrality Trap,” which proposes that emotionally sparse AI responses may sometimes be perceived as indifferent or implicitly judgmental. The paper also outlines four dimensions of AER — persistence, belonging, continuity and layered emotional care — and proposes a research protocol for future empirical testing.
The publication builds on research developed through CMII’s interdisciplinary environment and involving faculty, students and research assistants working across artificial intelligence, virtual production, digital human development and human-computer interaction.
CMII Professor of Practice Jeasy Sehgal
Early phases of the Vivience initiative explored these ideas through LightArch, an analytical digital human designed around cognitively structured interpretations of emotion, and Annelore, an empathic digital human focused on emotional nuance, tone and relational interaction.
That work later developed into the Affective-Emotive Resonance framework and resulted in Sehgal’s 2025 paper, "Emergence of Affective-Emotive Resonance: A Paradigm Shift in Empathic Digital Humans," published through the IEEE Xplore Digital Library.
The initiative was also recognized during the 2025–26 academic year when Sehgal received Georgia State’s Panther Innovations and Research Award for the Vivience AI Research Initiative, highlighting its interdisciplinary and translational research potential.
The new CogNexus publication extends this research by examining the role of affective and relational AI in creative learning. According to the published abstract, the work considers AI not simply as a tool for generating information, but as a potential dialogic partner whose communication style and relational qualities may affect how people engage with creative tasks.
The next phase of the work is also taking on an international dimension. Sehgal is continuing development of the research through Vivience AI, which is establishing a presence in Trondheim, Norway.
The expansion is intended to create an applied research and development base for continued exploration of digital humans, conversational AI, immersive systems, creative learning and human-centered AI interaction, while opening opportunities to explore selected commercial applications and research partnerships.
For CMII, the development represents a continuation of a research initiative that grew from the institute’s combination of emerging technology, creative practice and experiential learning. Students and research assistants have contributed to different stages of the work, including digital human animation, emotional expression, memory systems, AI agents and persona architectures.
The project also demonstrates how research developed within CMII’s academic and production environment can continue beyond an individual experiment or publication, moving from prototype development to formal scholarship and, increasingly, applied international research.
Alongside the publication, Sehgal has accepted an appointment as a Fellow of the Global Association for Research and Innovation (GARI) and as a member of the organization’s advisory board.
GARI currently lists Sehgal, under his formal name Jagmeet Singh, as an advisory board member representing Georgia State University and highlights his work spanning artificial intelligence, virtual production and data-driven innovation.
The CogNexus paper, published in Volume 2, Issue 2 as part of the journal’s Special Issue on Science, Technology & Data-Driven Innovation, is available online with DOI 10.63084/cognexus.v2i2.266.
About the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII)
The Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) is a leading hub for media arts education and innovation, dedicated to preparing students for careers in the ever-evolving creative and media industries. Through cutting-edge programs, industry partnerships and state-of-the-art facilities, CMII offers a dynamic environment for students to explore their creative potential and pursue their passion for storytelling and media production.