Dr. Kate Darling is a preeminent expert on social robotics and robot ethics. A research specialist at the MIT Media Lab, she has contributed heavily to our understanding of machine learning. Her TED Talk entitled, Why We Have an Emotional Connection to Robots has been viewed over 1.6 million times, and saw her explore the feelings humans have towards robots. She has been named as one of the "25 Women in Robotics You Need to Know About" by Robohub, was recognised as a Radar Thinker by Thinkers50 and has been recognised as "one of the biggest names in science" by NBC News, proving how highly respected she is in the industry.
Kate has featured in publications including The New Yorker, WIRED, The Guardian, BBC, The Atlantic and Forbes to name a few. She is a contributing writer at Robohub and IEEE Spectrum and has been featured on NBC News, the PC Mag and Vice. Dissecting topics such as the way in which technology and society intersect and the relationship between law and robotics, Kate is at the forefront of her industry. She was awarded a Mark T Banner Award in Intellectual Property, which recognises those who have impacted on IP law or practice and demonstrated a core passion for the profession.
This has seen her called upon to deliver keynote speeches and interviews at events that include The Conference 2015: Human-Robot Relationships, Dr. Kate Darling - Robot Ethics at Montreal 2016 and WebTomorrow 2015: Science fiction or reality? Near-term ethical, legal, and societal issues in robotics.
In addition to her experiences on stage, Kate has featured on podcasts that include Science Friday: How Strong is the Human Robot Bond? and Sam Harris' Waking Up Podcast: Living With Robots. She also co-wrote Creativity without Law: Challenging the Assumptions of Intellectual Property in 2017 and contributed to En Compagnie des Robots in 2016. Keeping one eye on the future as well as the "right now", Kate has informed on policies, asking and answering the difficult questions. Able to detail the importance of discussing machines today, Kate is an expert in AI, machine learning and robotics that can present a unique and inspiring keynote at your event.
In March 2024 Dr. Kate Darling conducted a keynote speech discussing how people emotionally respond to robots and explores the intricate relationships between humans and machines. Watch this exclusive keynote speech from Dr. Kate Darling here.
Books
The New Breed: What Our History with Animals Reveals About Our Future with Robots
How to hire Dr. Kate Darling
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Dr. Kate Darling for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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Kate's known speaking topics are listed below.
- Robot Ethics and the Future of Human-Robot Interaction
- Society and Robot Law - Extending Legal Protection to Social Robots
- Emerging technology
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"It was a fantastic talk. What we appreciated most about Kate is her ability to explain complex ideas in a very interesting, dynamic way through visuals, video and robot props. She has a refreshingly grounded, optimistic perspective on the future of human/machine interaction. She obviously loves her work and that excitement was contagious – participants walked away inspired and energised." - Boston Consulting Group
"We really enjoyed working with her, and her presentation was very well received by the audience. We felt that she really connected with them. I really appreciated how self-sufficient she was as a speaker. I really only have great things to say about our experience working with Kate and would absolutely recommend her to others." - Qualys
"Wow, there was so much here to think about. I didn't realise people were so empathic to robots. Fascinating presentation. She emphasised again that it is ultimately the programmer (us) who determines things. She shared interesting thoughts on AI and therapy as well." - CMTC
"Kate Darling was a smash hit. She was absolutely delightful. I would highly recommend her, and I would book her again in a heartbeat. Her talk is fascinating and the follow-up conversation with our CEO was terrific." - Juniper Networks
- 2021 - Author of The New Breed: What Our History with Animals Reveals About Our Future with Robots
- 2019 - Research Scientist at the MIT Media Lab
- Former Fellow of the Harvard Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, the Yale Information Society Project & the Center for Law & Economics
- Honorary Doctorate of Sciences from Middlebury College
- Awarded the Mark T Banner Award in Intellectual Property
- Affiliate of the Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies
- Monthly Columnist for BBC's Science Focus Magazine
