Shuoqi Sun's award-winning paper reveals how GenAI changes search

A new PhD research paper from Shuoqi Sun, published on arXiv (2608.04609), systematically analyzes how Generative AI has fundamentally altered the human information seeking process. The study argues that GenAI introduced more interfaces, more complex interactions, and expanded system capabilities, making traditional search models outdated. To characterize these shifts, Sun used online crowdsourcing survey experiments, established theoretical frameworks, and in-lab experiments capturing neurophysiological signals — providing both behavioral and neural evidence of how people now seek information.

Early findings highlight changing interface preferences and measurable differences in cognitive effort during GenAI-assisted search. This work received the Best Paper Award at FDIA 2026 and directly informs the next generation of personalized, cognition-aware information retrieval systems. For AI product teams, the research offers a rigorous baseline for understanding user cognitive load when designing GenAI search experiences, suggesting that future tools may need to adapt to individual brain states, not just query text.