Minding the Machines
Aristotle recognized that the human condition largely depends on what machines can and cannot do. He dreamed of a day when instruments would accomplish their own work by anticipating the will of the people using them. Today’s machines are starting to do exactly that. From drones to driverless cars to medical robots, artificial intelligence (AI) allows machines to sense, think and act, all without human intervention.
Dr. Ian Kerr, Canada Research Chair in Ethics, Law and Technology, recognizes that robotics and artificial intelligence will fundamentally change the world we experience and the lives we lead. He seeks to understand and address these changes. Canada and countries around the world currently face a law and policy void concerning the governance of robots and AI, creating a serious risk that these disruptive technologies may harm rather than empower us.
As a pioneer in the emerging field of robotics and AI law and policy, Kerr is generating knowledge that will assist governmental agencies, courts, regulatory and professional bodies, policy-makers, industry, academics and civil society, all of which are searching for governance solutions that will allow us to make use of these technologies to improve our lives.