At the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2026) in Maui, Hawaii, Prof. Nitin Agarwal and the COSMOS Research Center showcased a compelling body of work that pushes the boundaries of computational social science, artificial intelligence, and digital behavior analysis. COSMOS presented four studies at the prestigious HICSS conference, two of which were nominated for the Best Paper award. These studies collectively reflect a bold vision: advancing AI systems that are not only powerful but also theoretically grounded, interpretable, and deeply attuned to the complexities of human behaviors observed in real-world settings.
First study explores how multi-theoretical social science frameworks, when embedded in deep learning architectures, significantly enhance the prediction of mob outcomes. By grounding AI models in established behavioral theories, this work demonstrates how socially informed intelligence can outperform purely data-driven approaches when analyzing collective action and crowd dynamics. The second paper introduces a behavioral model of narrative diffusion that captures how individuals are exposed to information, develop skepticism, and ultimately switch beliefs. This framework offers critical insights into how narratives compete, evolve, and influence audiences within polarized information ecosystems.
The third study advances the detection of harmful discourse by presenting a neural-symbolic framework for toxic intent prediction, combining probabilistic soft logic with moral foundations theory. This approach enables more transparent and ethically informed AI systems capable of reasoning about intent rather than relying solely on surface-level language cues. Complementing this work, the fourth study examines YouTube channels through multi-view content similarity, revealing hidden relationships, coordination patterns, and thematic alignments across the platform, and providing a deeper understanding of influence and structure in large-scale media ecosystems.
Together, these contributions highlight COSMOS’s leadership in shaping next-generation AI systems that integrate social theory, ethical reasoning, and advanced analytics. Presented on a global and highly competitive stage at HICSS 2026, this body of work underscores COSMOS’s commitment to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of the digital age, where technology, behavior, and society increasingly intersect.