Dr. Kate Darling: Robotics Expert
Robot ethics expert who helps audiences understand social robotics, trust, and the ethical impact of AI on work and society.
Quick Facts:
- Research scientist at MIT Media Lab
- Global authority on robot ethics and human-robot interaction
- Contributor to leading publications including BBC and WIRED
- Co-taught robot ethics at Harvard Law School
- Formats:
- Keynote Speaker and Technology Ethics Expert
- Audiences:
- Technology leaders, policymakers, researchers, corporate innovators, and organizations exploring AI, robotics, and ethical innovation.
- Outcomes:
- Understand the ethical implications of human-robot interaction
- Explore how emotional connections influence technology adoption
- Apply ethical thinking to innovation, design, and policy decisions
- Travels from: Boston, MA
- **Fee range: On Request
Talent Services
Keynote Topics:
The Future of Human-Robot Interaction
The robots are coming and they’re getting smarter, evolving from singletask devices (think Roomba) into machines that can make their own decisions and autonomously navigate public spaces. From transportation systems, hospitals, and the military, to the robotization of our workplaces and households, robots will be everywhere and will increasingly interact with people.
Whether you find it exhilarating or terrifying (or both), progress in robotics and related fields like AI raises new ethical quandaries and challenges legal codes created for a world in which a sharp line separates man from machine.
Drawing from her recent work exploring humans’ emotional responses to robots, Dr. Kate Darling answers questions like:
What happens when robots move from behind factory walls into shared spaces and begin interacting with humans?
What opportunities and challenges should we anticipate in the future of human-robot interaction?
Where does the true potential of AI and robotics lie, and will robots supplement human ability, or replace it?
Why do people treat robots like living things, and why does that matter?
What can and can’t robots and AI do? What societal challenges will we face in a future with robots (ethical, legal, and social)?
Dr. Darling examines why people fear some robots and empathize with others, while also prompting—and answering—questions about what society’s relationship with these robots could look like in the future.
What follows is in part an examination of the technology itself, but ultimately, offers a window into how it’s poised to change the way we relate to each other and our own humanity—and why it matters.
Talent Short Bio
Dr. Kate Darling is a leading expert in robot ethics and human-robot interaction, recognized for her groundbreaking research on the social, emotional, and legal impacts of robotics. As a research scientist at the MIT Media Lab, she studies how people emotionally engage with robots and how these relationships influence society, law, and policy.
Darling’s work pushes beyond technical innovation, focusing on the human side of robotics. She has advised policymakers, industry leaders, and global audiences on the challenges and opportunities created by emerging intelligent systems. Her research and talks explore questions such as: how should society treat robots, and how will their presence change our behavior, workplaces, and ethics?
With clarity and accessibility, Darling inspires audiences to think critically about the future of technology while also empowering organizations to make ethical and strategic decisions. She is a frequent media contributor and has been featured in outlets like The New Yorker, The Guardian, and PBS.
Her engaging presentations combine academic rigor with relatable stories, sparking thought-provoking discussions on the evolving relationship between humans and machines.
Videos
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Fee Range Information
All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.