This neuroscience study shows that brief pre-lecture interactions significantly improve learning. Students who chatted with either a human teacher or an AI tutor before watching a video lecture performed better and showed greater brain synchrony in MRI scans. Social interaction—human or artificial—primes the brain for more effective learning.

My research examines how experts build credibility online and how audiences navigate trust in human and AI sources. Physicians gain trust by humanizing their content, while TikTok therapists succeed through relatability over credentials. Students selectively trust AI depending on task type. Ultimately, online trust hinges more on authenticity than expertise.