S32 Ep7: Dr. Kate Darling - Robot Ethics and the Future of Human-Robot Interaction

Today, Steve is in conversation with Dr. Kate Darling, Research Scientist at the MIT Media Lab and Research Lead at the Boston Dynamics AI Institute. Kate has spent years studying human-robot interaction, and she speaks with Steve about the fascinating impact such interactions can have on us as people, and what that means for businesses trying to incorporate robots and AI into their customer experience.

Key Takeaways:
1. It is natural for humans to project human behavior onto non-humans.
2. Using robots to help humans do their work better is smarter than replacing them. 
3. More technical expertise is needed for policymaking to keep pace with new technologies. 

Tune in to hear more about:
1. Why humans form emotional connections with robots
2. How a grocery store robot is scaring customers
3. Pitfalls of commercializing robotics

Standout Quotes:
1. “That's part of the reason that we do this, that we create these strong emotional connections, even with non-living things like robots, is because we have this drive, and especially in these emotionally difficult situations, it may even be something that helps people survive. So I don't think it's as black and white as just: we need to prevent this anymore, but it is something that we need to be extremely aware of and acknowledge that it's happening, so that we can address it appropriately where possible.” - Dr. Kate Darling

2. “So I think it's important that we're making the right choices. It's not that technology determines what happens. It really is us as a society choosing to set the right incentives for companies and invest in the right kinds of technology. And I do think that there's much more promise in that path, the path of trying to partner with these technologies and what we're trying to achieve, rather than trying to replace people or recreate something we already have.” - Dr. Kate Darling

3. “We've used most animals like tools and products, and some of them have been our companions, and my prediction for the future is that we're going to do the exact same thing with robots and AI, that most of them will be tools and products and some of them will be companions.” - Dr. Kate Darling

Mentioned in this episode:
• ISF Analyst Insight Podcast

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