Does reality matter?" It was with this provocative question - voiced by actor Keanu Reeves from The Matrix - that Professor Rhonda Hadi (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford) opened her keynote at the second edition of the Data Research Meetup, organized by MagIC – Information Management Research Center at NOVA IMS, which brought together over 100 participants.

The question set the tone for an event focused on exploring the impact of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence on consumer behavior. Under the theme “Consumer Tech: When Management meets Data Science”, the event brought together a community of national and international researchersto discuss how technology is reshaping the way we make decisions, interact, and experience the world.

In her keynote, Rhonda Hadi introduced the concept of “fluid reality” - a world where human experiences are increasingly mediated by artificial intelligence, and the boundaries between the real and the digitally constructed are becoming ever more blurred.

Through examples such as augmented reality, spatial audio, and haptic technology, she demonstrated how emotionally engaging experiences can now be created without any physical contact, challenging traditional notions of what is “real”.

She also addressed the use of AI to generate interactions that simulate empathy and intimacy -including synthetic voices and realistic digital faces - raising important ethical concerns and questions about the emotional impact of these technologies.
Her keynote concluded with a clear message: “Technology doesn’t have to replace human connection - it can feed and strengthen it. It all depends on how we choose to use it.”

The keynote paved the way for a panel discussion on “Technology, Consumer Experience and Well-being”, moderated by Professor Diego Costa Pinto (NOVA IMS), and featuring contributions from Professors Carlos Costa (ISEG), Pedro Simões Coelho (NOVA IMS), and Rhonda Hadi.

In the afternoon, the event continued with presentations of applied research projects in the areas of AI-powered marketing, digital sustainability, consumer well-being, and public policy. These were led by NOVA IMS professors and researchers Nuno António, Márcia Barcellos, Catarina Neves, Joana Neves, and Pedro Nascimento.

The event culminated with the presentation of the Best PhD Poster award to Pedro Nascimento and the Award for Excellence and Scientific Contribution in Management to Professor Tiago Oliveira.

By bringing together researchers from fields such as marketing, analytics, consumer behaviour, and digital sustainability, the Data Research Meetup by MagIC highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary scientific approaches to tackling emerging challenges.

“We are a research centre that brings together two very different worlds — management and data science. Our goal is to make this integration a source of productive value. The number of speakers we welcomed today reflects our ambition to maintain excellence,”
said Professor Leonardo Vanneschi, Director of MagIC, during the opening session.

To access the presentation slides and learn more about how the event unfolded, visit the official event page.

With this latest edition, the Data Research Meetup reaffirms MagIC’s commitment to producing relevant, interdisciplinary, and socially impactful scientific knowledge.