Dr. Ewa J. Antczak

We are living in a transformative era where emerging technologies and online platforms have redefined how people connect, collaborate, and play. While these spaces offer valuable opportunities for creativity and community, they also expose users to harmful behaviors including aggression, hate speech, exclusion, and harassment. Ensuring psychological safety within digital environments has become a pressing societal concern.

Together we will explore how behavioral science and AI can reduce toxicity and build stronger trust and safety online. When we protect digital trust, we not only support mental health but also preserve the freedom to play, collaborate, and create without fear of harassment or silencing.

Drawing on recent validation studies and global data, I will use live examples and demos to show how psychological factors (empathy deficits, emotional intelligence, dark triad traits) and environmental drivers (anonymity, toxic modeling, game reward systems) fuel harmful behaviors, and how community health assessments combined with proactive real-time AI interventions can create lasting change.

Why This Matters

Almost one in five players experience harassment, and more than two-thirds avoid communities they consider toxic. This results in anxiety, depression, reduced enjoyment for players, and billions in lost revenue for studios. Traditional reactive approaches—bans, reports, moderation—are often too late, too punitive, and lack consistent health metrics.

The AI-Powered Solution

Our team of behavioral scientists and AI experts developed an AI-powered behavioral analytics system that integrates machine learning with principles from behavioral psychology. Validation research shows this AI-powered tool aligns with human judgment across multiple languages, scales to all 24 official EU languages, and costs 50% less than traditional moderation tools.

What You'll Learn

• Apply research-based strategies to design safer, more inclusive digital environments that support well-being and strengthen civic participation
• Access AI-driven tools that evaluate community health and provide compliance reports within minutes
• Understand how toxic behaviors spill over into civic spaces, reducing public trust and discouraging meaningful engagement
• Move beyond punishment to proactive, science-driven strategies that prevent escalation and encourage positive behavior at scale

Attendees will leave with actionable insights and a clear roadmap showing how investing in community health creates both healthier players and healthier bottom lines.

Did you know that 87% of gamers are bullied online? Toxicity is now the leading reason players quit gaming. What was once designed as a space for creativity, collaboration, and play has, for many, become a source of stress, exclusion, and harm. The need to ensure psychological safety in gaming environments has never been more urgent—for developers, studios, and communities alike.

This session is designed for game developers, esports organizers, community managers, trust-and-safety professionals, educators, and policymakers who shape the future of digital play. Together, we will explore how behavioral science and AI-driven technologies can reduce toxicity, enhance player well-being, and strengthen trust across gaming ecosystems.

Protecting emotional safety online doesn't just promote mental health—it preserves the freedom to play, compete, and create without fear of abuse or silencing.

What You'll Discover

Drawing on recent validation studies and large-scale player data, I will use live gameplay examples and AI demos to show how psychological factors (empathy gaps, emotional regulation, dark triad traits) and environmental drivers (anonymity, toxic reward loops, competitive modeling) contribute to harmful behaviors.

We'll also examine how real-time behavioral analytics and AI-guided interventions can transform community culture from reactive moderation to proactive prevention.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies to create gaming spaces where players feel safe, respected, and empowered to engage authentically without fear of harassment.