We are delighted to announce that the Symposium on Human Dynamics Research is entering its 12th year of advancing scholarship and community building in geography and GIScience. As we gather at this pivotal moment, when our world has evolved into a hybrid physical–virtual realm shaped by artificial intelligence and other transformative technologies, it is both timely and necessary to reflect on our accomplishments and chart new directions for the future.

Over the past twelve years, the symposium has flourished at the AAG (American Association of Geographers) Annual Meetings (2015–2025). Our collective efforts have led to several landmark achievements: special issues in prestigious journals such as the International Journal of Geographical Information Science and Journal of Planning Education and Research, the launch of the Journal of Computational Urban Science, and the establishment of the widely regarded Springer book series Human Dynamics in Smart Cities.

At its core, human dynamics research is about understanding human needs, wants, and constraints in relation to space and place. This tradition remains central to our symposium. Yet today, we also recognize that these dynamics are being reshaped by intelligent systems. Therefore, the special theme of the 2026 Symposium will be:

"Human–AI Dynamics: Rethinking People, Place, and Algorithms."

This theme emphasizes how emerging technologies-ranging from the metaverse and generative AI to quantum computing-are transforming how humans interact, move, and make decisions. AI systems are no longer just analytical tools but co-actors in hybrid environments, influencing behaviors while also adapting to human input. GeoAI, with its ability to integrate spatial intelligence and machine learning, stands at the forefront of bridging human behavior with geographic insights, enabling innovative approaches to resilience, equity, and sustainability. While Human–AI Dynamics will be the symposium's featured theme in 2026, we warmly welcome all areas of human dynamics research. The symposium continues to uphold its mission of advancing the field broadly, while this year's theme offers a platform to consider how people, places, and algorithms are becoming increasingly interconnected.

We invite you to take part in this milestone event by organizing or contributing to paper/panel sessions and individual presentations. Each session organizer will coordinate abstracts from presenters in their session(s). To ensure visibility, please name your session(s) with the prefix "Symposium on Human Dynamics Research", followed by a descriptive subtitle.

Submission Guidelines:

Session organizers should email the session title, abstract, and PINs of all presenters to:

• Xinyue Ye (xye10@ua.edu)

• Xiao Huang (xiao.huang2@emory.edu)

• Yang Xu (yang.ls.xu@polyu.edu.hk)

The official AAG registration and abstract submission deadline is October 30, 2025. Please submit through: AAG Annual Meeting 2026.

We look forward to your contributions in shaping the future of human dynamics research in this era of convergence, breaking down barriers, rethinking people, place, and algorithms, and forging transformative pathways for geography and beyond.