diff --git a/backend/app/__init__.py b/backend/app/__init__.py
index e776e5ff..e03ff813 100755
--- a/backend/app/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/app/__init__.py
@@ -160,7 +160,12 @@ def create_app():
     async def start_task_sweeper():
         import asyncio
         from app.services.task_manager import get_task_manager
+        from app.websocket_manager_async import get_async_websocket_manager
         asyncio.create_task(get_task_manager().start_sweeper())
+        # Register the ASGI event loop so cross-thread WebSocket emits (from AI Runner) work
+        ws_mgr = get_async_websocket_manager()
+        if ws_mgr:
+            ws_mgr.set_main_loop(asyncio.get_running_loop())
 
     # Health check endpoint
     @app.route('/api/health', methods=['GET'])
diff --git a/backend/app/websocket_manager_async.py b/backend/app/websocket_manager_async.py
index 32525712..cd31f4c5 100755
--- a/backend/app/websocket_manager_async.py
+++ b/backend/app/websocket_manager_async.py
@@ -18,15 +18,23 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class AsyncWebSocketManager:
     """Manages WebSocket connections and rooms for focus group sessions using AsyncServer."""
-    
+
     def __init__(self):
         # Use singleton SocketIO AsyncServer instance
         self.sio = sio
         self.focus_group_rooms: Dict[str, Set[str]] = {}  # focus_group_id -> set of session_ids
         self.user_sessions: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {}  # session_id -> user info
-        
+
+        # Main ASGI event loop reference (set via set_main_loop during app startup)
+        self._main_loop: Optional[asyncio.AbstractEventLoop] = None
+
         # Register SocketIO event handlers
         self._register_handlers()
+
+    def set_main_loop(self, loop: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop) -> None:
+        """Store the main ASGI event loop for cross-thread emission."""
+        self._main_loop = loop
+        logger.info("AsyncWebSocketManager: main event loop registered")
     
     def _register_handlers(self):
         """Register all WebSocket event handlers."""
@@ -342,18 +350,42 @@ class AsyncWebSocketManager:
                 **data
             }
             
+            # Detect if we're running on a different event loop than the ASGI server
+            # (happens when called from the AI Runner's background thread)
+            cross_loop = False
+            if self._main_loop is not None:
+                try:
+                    current_loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+                    cross_loop = (current_loop is not self._main_loop)
+                except RuntimeError:
+                    cross_loop = True  # No running loop on this thread
+
             if include_sender or not sender_session_id:
                 # Send to all users in the room using AsyncServer
-                print(f"🔔 ASYNC Emitting '{event}' to room {room_name} with data keys: {list(event_data.keys())}")
-                await self.sio.emit(event, event_data, room=room_name)
-                
+                print(f"🔔 ASYNC Emitting '{event}' to room {room_name} (cross_loop={cross_loop})")
+                if cross_loop:
+                    future = asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(
+                        self.sio.emit(event, event_data, room=room_name),
+                        self._main_loop
+                    )
+                    future.result(timeout=5)
+                else:
+                    await self.sio.emit(event, event_data, room=room_name)
+
                 print(f"🔔 ASYNC Successfully emitted '{event}' to focus group {focus_group_id} ({len(active_sessions)} active users)")
                 logger.debug(f"Emitted '{event}' to focus group {focus_group_id} ({len(active_sessions)} active users)")
             else:
                 # Send to all users except the sender
                 for session_id in active_sessions:
                     if session_id != sender_session_id:
-                        await self.sio.emit(event, event_data, to=session_id)
+                        if cross_loop:
+                            future = asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(
+                                self.sio.emit(event, event_data, to=session_id),
+                                self._main_loop
+                            )
+                            future.result(timeout=5)
+                        else:
+                            await self.sio.emit(event, event_data, to=session_id)
                 logger.debug(f"Emitted '{event}' to focus group {focus_group_id} (excluding sender)")
                 
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx b/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx
index a55f9587..ee048917 100755
--- a/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx
@@ -340,6 +340,17 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
   }, [wsConnected, wsConnecting, wsError, useWebSocketEnabled, id]);
 
 
+  // Poll for new messages during AI mode (reliability fallback for cross-loop WebSocket emit issues)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isAiModeActive || !id) return;
+
+    const interval = window.setInterval(() => {
+      fetchMessages();
+    }, 3000);
+
+    return () => window.clearInterval(interval);
+  }, [isAiModeActive, id]);
+
   // Notification for polling fallback when WebSocket is disabled
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!useWebSocketEnabled && id && focusGroup) {