AAPOR 2026 Plenary Session

AAPOR 2026, An LA Love Story of Data, Innovation, and the Quest for Truth, opened with a welcome from President Jordon Peugh (SSRS), followed by a keynote from Past President Dr. Frauke Kreuter (LMU Munich; University of Maryland), building on themes from her widely discussed presidential address on the role of surveys in an era of generative AI. Following the keynote address, Dr. Kreuter led a thought-provoking discussion with an all-star California-based panel, featuring Dr. Mollyann Brodie (KFF), Dr. Curtiss Cobb (Meta), Dr. Jon Krosnick (Stanford University), Dr. David Wilson (UC Berkeley), and Eric Michael Garcetti (former U.S. Ambassador to India, former Mayor of Los Angeles, and former Los Angeles City Council Member and President). Together, they explored strategies for reclaiming relevance, rebuilding confidence in data, and communicating insights in ways that resonate with the public. This opening session set the stage for a conference dedicated to reclaiming relevance, building trust, and embracing innovation in communicating data to the public.