November 2019 (EURA Center of Excellence Regulation of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Unicef policy workshop)

November is shaping up to be a very interesting month. Teaching continues here in Bangor, but as it’s my light semester I’m only running my #PrivacyandtheMedia module. Lots of great student wide-ranging discussion on modern privacy though and students continue to impress in their presentations.

Next week I’m in Pisa doing a guest seminar at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna and then an invited presentation at the EURA Center of Excellence Regulation of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence conference. Really looking forward to these as the focus is on AI and manipulation of people, something I haven’t looked at as closely as I might. Can we conceive the relationship between robots and humans in terms of trust? Can robots induce human beings to develop an emotional attachment if not entirely delusional feelings? Might self-determination suffice in legitimizing such deceptive practices? 

Later in the month I’m in Helsinki at a Unicef/Finland Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance policy workshop assessing the ‘Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on Children’. I’m going in light of recent emotional AI work that focuses on edtech, toys and other child services. So many big questions to answer: child development, relationships with AI, privacy, trust/confiding, consent and much more!