Digital culture is rapidly reshaping how young men and boys understand masculinity, relationships, and belonging. From algorithm-driven social media feeds to emerging tools such as AI companion apps, “AI wingmen,” and generative image platforms, technology is not only reflecting existing norms—it is actively reinforcing, accelerating, and in some cases distorting them. These systems can normalize entitlement, reduce accountability, and create new pathways for coercive or harmful behavior, particularly when combined with online ecosystems that reward dominance, risk-taking, and emotional detachment.

This plenary session examines the intersection of masculinity, technology, and sexual harm prevention through a trauma-informed, harm-reduction lens. Drawing on current research, real-world examples, and frontline training experience, the presentation will explore how AI-mediated interactions shape relational development, influence sexual scripts, and impact empathy, consent, and accountability. Special attention will be given to how emerging technologies can both amplify risk and create opportunities for intervention.

Participants will gain practical, evidence-informed strategies for engaging men and boys without shame or disengagement, challenging harmful narratives while preserving dignity, and fostering healthier models of masculinity in digital spaces. The session will equip professionals with tools to navigate resistance, build rapport, and support behavior change in a rapidly evolving technological landscape—positioning men and boys as essential partners in the prevention of sexual harm.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how digital platforms      and emerging AI technologies (e.g., AI companion apps, AI “wingmen,” and      generative image tools) influence the development of masculinity, sexual scripts, and attitudes toward consent among young men and boys. 
• Evaluate the ways in which these technologies can reinforce entitlement, reduce accountability, and      contribute to risk factors associated with coercive or harmful behavior. 
• Apply trauma-informed, harm-reduction strategies to effectively engage men and boys, challenge harmful narratives without shame, and promote healthier, consent-centered models of masculinity in digital environments.

About the Speaker:
Sloan Thompson is the Director of Education and AI Initiatives at EndTAB, where she leads national training programs on artificial intelligence, relationships, and digital safety. She helps professionals understand how emerging technologies are reshaping communication, intimacy, and harm, and how to respond with practical, trauma-informed strategies. Sloan is a nationally recognized speaker who has presented for organizations including MIT, Yale University, Columbia University, and the U.S. Department of the Air Force. She also contributes to public discourse on AI and relationships, with her work featured in outlets like WIRED and Mashable. Prior to EndTAB, she worked with the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.