Good Robot / Bad Robot
Living with intelligent machines
Robots are becoming an increasingly important part of our lives. If robots can be everything from carers to warriors, what will this mean for human lives?
Chaired by Paul Willis.
In the Drama Theatre | View Seat Map
"Should AI bots be prohibited from political discourse? Who can switch off your bot after you die? Do bots have freedom of speech? It will be an interesting future.”
Professor Toby Walsh
Good Robot / Bad Robot
We are heading into a world where robots will be an increasingly important part of our lives. This won’t just have an impact on the future of work, but on the future of everything. What will it mean if robots are our toys, our pets, our friends and our partners? If robots can be everything from carers to warriors, what does this mean not just for human lives, but for the way we understand human intelligence, human values, and humanity itself? If we want technology to create a better future for people all over the world, what do we need to do right now to make sure that we can steer these extraordinary developments in the right direction and avoid a dystopian future?
Presented by Sydney Opera House and UNSW’s Centre for Ideas
Speakers
Toby Walsh is a leading researcher in Artificial Intelligence. He was named by the Australian newspaper as a "rock star" of Australia's digital revolution. He is Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW, leads the Algorithmic Decision Theory group at Data61, Australia's Centre of Excellence for ICT Research, and is Guest Professor at TU Berlin.
Ellen Broad is an independent consultant and expert in data sharing, open data and AI ethics. She has worked in technology policy and implementation in global roles, including as head of policy for Open Data Institute and as manager of digital projects and policy for the International Federation of Library Associations & Institutions. In Australia, she ran the Australian Digital Alliance. Broad has provided independent advice on data and digital issues to governments, UN bodies and multinational tech companies. Ellen designed a board game about data with ODI CEO Jeni Tennison that is currently being played in nineteen countries, and is the author of Made by Humans: The AI Condition, published in August this year.
Hae Won Park is a research scientist in the Personal Robots Group at MIT Media Lab. Her work focuses on developing interactive social machines that deeply personalize to their users over a long-term interaction. While doing her PhD at Georgia Tech, she co-founded Zyrobotics, a company that provides inclusive mobile technologies to make learning accessible.
Chaired by Paul Willis
Paul Willis is the former Director of the Royal Institution of Australia, presenter on ABC TV's Catalyst program, palaeontologist and science communicator. Paul is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor in Palaeontology at Flinders University.
He is also a radio producer and presenter and a skilled online content producer. He’s been a museum curator in natural history, and authored several books on geology, palaeontology and natural history themes.
Make the most of your experience...
Add a drinks voucher or drinks with a cheese platter to your purchase and redeem it at any of the foyer bars inside the Opera House – perfect for a pre-show or interval refreshment.
Book yourself in for an intimate early morning behind-the-scenes experience. See the rehearsal and performances spaces that are usually the exclusive domain of our artists and performers.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may also like...
Help open the House to disadvantaged students
The Opera House is a not-for-profit organisation.