ISTAS 2025: Call for Papers

The IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) is the flagship conference of the IEEE’s Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT). ISTAS 2025 will be hosted by Santa Clara University (California, USA) from September 10-12, 2025, and will feature both live and virtual participation options.

Conference Theme

The overarching theme for ISTAS 2025 is "AI Evolution and Revolution". The conference will explore the societal impact of AI, inviting contributions from practitioners in academia, industry, and government who contemplate the future societal impact of AI and how to guide its evolution to maximize benefits and minimize risks. It also welcomes individuals involved in technology policy.

Thematic Areas of Interest

• ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE
  • Ethical frameworks for AI development and deployment
  • AI regulation, policy, and legal issues at national and international levels
  • AI in Law Enforcement and Surveillance
  • Transparency and explainability in AI systems
  • AI privacy concerns
  • Balancing innovation with responsible AI practices
  • Human oversight and management
• HEALTHCARE AND BIOMEDICINE
  • AI-driven diagnostic tools and their impact on healthcare delivery
  • Personalized medicine and AI
  • AI in drug discovery and development
  • Ethical considerations in AI-assisted medical decision-making
  • AI’s role in addressing global health challenges
• FUTURE OF WORK AND INDUSTRY
  • Reskilling and education for an AI-driven economy and business climate
  • Impact of AI on job markets and employment trends
  • AI-human collaboration in the workplace
  • AI in recruitment and human resources
  • Governance and legal implications
  • Economic implications of widespread AI adoption
  • Infrastructure impact and change requirements
• ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
  • AI applications in climate change modeling and mitigation
  • Smart cities and AI-driven resource management
  • AI in renewable energy optimization
  • Environmental monitoring and conservation using AI
  • Ethical considerations in using AI for environmental decision-making
  • LLM/Data storage energy usage and design practices to mitigate
• CULTURE, ARTS, AND SOCIETY
  • AI’s impact on social interactions and relationships
  • AI in education and learning
  • AI-generated art, music, and literature
  • AI and its effects on democracy and public discourse
  • Cultural differences in AI perception and adoption
  • AI, misinformation, and the public trust
  • AI in Social Media

Submission Types and Deadlines

Submission Deadlines:

• Special Session Proposals Due: May 16, 2025
• Abstracts Due: May 16, 2025
• Full Papers Due: May 23, 2025
• Camera-Ready Submissions Due: August 1, 2025
• Acceptance Notices: July 18, 2025

Contribution Types:

• Full-length papers: 6-8 pages, peer-reviewed for ISTAS25 Proceedings (published on IEEEXplore).
• Short Papers: 2-4 pages (excluding references), for preliminary findings, industry/practitioner/artist perspectives, or student research projects.
• Student Poster Abstracts: No longer than one page, for the student session (not intended for final proceedings).
• Special Sessions, Workshop, and Tutorial Proposals: PDF of no more than 2 pages.

Submission Guidelines

• All submissions must be uploaded to the ISTAS25 EasyChair Submission Portal in PDF format based on the IEEE conference template.
• New EasyChair users will need to register first.
• Authors of selected papers may be invited for expansion/revision for a special issue of the IEEE Technology and Society Magazine.

Registration Information

• Early registration is open until July 31, 2025.
• Regular rates apply from August 1 to September 9, 2025.
• Special rates are available for IEEE and SSIT members, as well as Santa Clara University faculty and students.
• More information can be found on the ISTAS25 Registration Information page.

Contact

For questions about submissions or guidelines, please contact istas25@easychair.org.