Generative AI and Collective Memory: Navigating Truth in an Age of Digital Narratives


Prompt Society | World XR

Session 358

Thursday, 10 July 2025 in 2 days 14:00–14:45 (UTC+02:00) Physical (on-site) participation only WSIS+20 Open Space, Palexpo Interactive Session
Register »

Physical (on-site) participation only


Proposed by Salar Shahna, president of the World XR Forum, this session explores how generative AI is transforming access to historical storytelling and audiovisual memory on a global scale.

Today, the power of generative AI is both unprecedented and unstoppable. As synthetic media proliferates—with all the risks of manipulated or misleading content—we are faced with a crucial challenge: how to ensure that this new creative power is used to amplify truthful, inclusive narratives, rather than distort them.

Until now, only a few countries with powerful film industries have had the means to tell and project their stories to the world. Generative AI changes this landscape. It opens a door for smaller nations, marginalized communities, and independent creators to craft emotionally rich and historically grounded narratives—with a level of realism and accessibility that was previously unattainable.

The session gathers voices from diverse fields to address this critical transition:

Natasha Mahfar, a writer and creative producer, shares her experience crafting a fiction set during wartime—a deeply human story limited, until now, by the cost of traditional production.

Professor Yuxing Han from Tsinghua University, expert in hyper-realistic imaging and immersive technologies, contributes an academic lens on how such tools can be ethically applied and validated in historical and educational contexts.
 

Together, they will examine how creative communities, universities, and global institutions like ITU/WSIS can co-design programs that both protect the integrity of historical narratives and support creative autonomy.

The session will also introduce The Prompt Society, a new Geneva-based initiative anchored at Downtown Studio, dedicated to fostering responsible and interdisciplinary use of generative AI in storytelling, across cultures and technologies

Panellists
placeholder image
Dr. Yuxing (Erica) Han Professor Tsinghua University China

Mr. Salar Shahna
Mr. Salar Shahna Switzerland Remote Panellist

Salar Shahna is a Swiss creative producer, strategist, and cultural entrepreneur working at the intersection of immersive media, artificial intelligence, and collective memory. He currently serves as Partner and Creative Director at SensoryX, a Swiss company developing next-generation spatial computing tools, including high-precision motion tracking and XR input systems.

He is also the founder and president of the World XR Forum, that has brought together global leaders in extended reality and digital storytelling since 2016. His curatorial and production work spans international festivals and institutions—from Sundance and Venice to the Cannes Film Festival—often highlighting the ethical, cultural, and political dimensions of emerging media.

A longtime advocate for accessible creative technologies, Salar has advised governments, guided startups, and led innovation missions across Asia, Europe, and North America. His work consistently focuses on empowering underrepresented voices through technology, especially in contexts where audiovisual storytelling has historically been inaccessible.

In 2025, he launched The Prompt Society, a Geneva-based initiative housed at Downtown Studio, dedicated to fostering responsible and inclusive uses of generative AI in storytelling. The Prompt Society supports interdisciplinary collaboration between artists, academics, technologists, and institutions to reimagine how memory, truth, and identity are constructed in the age of synthetic media.


Ms. Natasha Mahfar
Ms. Natasha Mahfar The Prompt Society | Switerland

Natasha Mahfar is a dynamic professional at the intersection of technology, media, and storytelling. A graduate of Columbia University and NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Natasha holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in Film, complemented by multiple fellowships and scholarships including the TSOA Graduate Film Scholarship and a Global Research Initiatives Fellowship in London.

Her career spans across business development, strategic partnerships, and creative direction, with significant achievements in both corporate and creative arenas. As Senior Relationship Manager at the World XR Forum, she played a pivotal role in forging high-level partnerships with global players such as Accenture, Snapchat, Facebook’s Libra, and Qualcomm. She was instrumental in the development of executive engagement strategies and regularly took part in meetings with C-level executives and government officials.

A born entrepreneur, Natasha founded FLYY, a mental health-focused tech startup in Silicon Valley, where she recruited a top-tier team from Twitter and Zynga. The app, an early adopter of voice technology, garnered media coverage in the Huffington Post and achieved top rankings in the Saudi App Store.


Natasha is also a skilled screenwriter and producer, having directed, written, and shot films globally. She uses her storytelling acumen not only in media but as a strategic tool in business communication and branding. In addition to her creative work, she has held consultancy roles with companies like Logitech and Ralph Lauren, and contributed to communications for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Persian, Natasha thrives in global environments, bridging cultures with ease. Her rare combination of interpersonal sensitivity, strategic thinking, and creative excellence makes her an invaluable asset to any international team.


Topics
Artificial Intelligence Cultural Diversity Digital Inclusion Media
WSIS Action Lines
  • AL C1 logo C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
  • AL C2 logo C2. Information and communication infrastructure
  • AL C3 logo C3. Access to information and knowledge
  • AL C4 logo C4. Capacity building
  • AL C9 logo C9. Media
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Goal 10 logo Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
  • Goal 16 logo Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
GDC Objectives
  • Objective 1: Close all digital divides and accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Objective 2: Expand inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all