Lex Fridman Podcast

#329 – Kate Darling: Social Robots, Ethics, Privacy and the Future of MIT

Oct 15, 2022

Kate Darling, a research scientist at MIT Media Lab, dives into the fascinating world of human-robot interaction and ethics. She explores how emotional connections with robots can mirror our feelings towards pets and children. The discussion touches on societal biases in robot design, particularly regarding naming and gender perceptions. Darling also reflects on the ethical challenges of advanced AI in consumer markets and the implications of emotional attachments, highlighting the need for accountability in the rapidly evolving robotic landscape.

03:09:50

Creator website

Episode guests

Kate Darling

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Importance of Curiosity and Understanding Why Others Are Angry

01:30

Lex on Social Humanoid Robot

03:17

Large Companies Don't Have the Guts to do Next-Level Personalization with AI

02:38

Different robots will be treated differently across cultures, just like animals

00:59

Intro

2min

Sponsors Showcase: Comfort, E-Commerce, and Virtual Infrastructure

2min

Navigating the Future of Technology: User Experience, Health Tracking, and Privacy

4min

Redefining Robots: Beyond Technology

9min

Navigating Emotions in Social Robotics

17min

Naming Robots: Gender, Bias, and Perception

9min

The Future of Robotics in Daily Life

22min

AI, Animals, and Human Connections

15min

Emotional Bonds with Robots

13min

10.

The Ethics of Influence: Technology, Advertising, and Consumer Trust

2min

11.

The Ethics and Evolution of Humanoid Robots

22min

12.

Exploring the Capabilities and Future of Social Robotics

2min

13.

Exploring Ethical Frontiers in Robotics and Space

15min

14.

Emotional Connections and Pricing Strategies in Robotics

2min

15.

Navigating Bias and Responsibility in Technology

9min

16.

Navigating Leadership and Accountability

14min

17.

Navigating Gender and Power in Tech

18min

18.

Navigating Boundaries: Workplace Culture and the Ethics of Crossing Lines

3min

19.

Humor and Relationships: A Lighthearted Exploration

2min

20.

Evolution and Partnership in Relationships

3min

21.

Love and Loss in the Age of Robots

5min

22.

Exploring the Boundless Nature of Love

2min

Kate Darling is a researcher at MIT Media Lab interested in human robot interaction and robot ethics. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Kate’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/grok_
Kate’s Website: http://katedarling.org
Kate’s Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/grok_
The New Breed (book): https://amzn.to/3ExhBuf
Creativity without Law (book): https://amzn.to/3MqV5F3
LuLaRobot (paper): http://drive.google.com/file/d/1PtYpkDQaQVPbhQIc6wcCC50JKWVsDo3k/view

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(07:57) – What is a robot?
(23:57) – Metaverse
(33:19) – Bias in robots
(47:02) – Modern robotics
(49:34) – Automation
(53:57) – Autonomous driving
(1:02:22) – Privacy
(1:05:48) – Google’s LaMDA
(1:10:35) – Robot animal analogy
(1:23:38) – Data concerns
(1:41:40) – Humanoid robots
(2:00:42) – LuLaRobot
(2:09:36) – Ethics in robotics
(2:24:57) – Jeffrey Epstein
(2:58:31) – Love and relationships

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