Conference
AI for Humanity and Society 2026 – Robots and Autonomous Systems in Everyday Life
- 10-11 November
- Stångs Mjärdevi
How do we want our world with robots to look? As the role robots play in society grows, we must address important challenges related to care, safety, responsibility, and trust. Welcome to the WASP-HS conference AI for Humanity and Society 2026 to discuss these opportunities and concerns with researchers, practitioners, and innovators.
The lunch-to-lunch conference features renowned keynote speakers:
Steven Benford explores how interactive experiences shape human meaning-making, collaborating with artists to create artworks that inspire new concepts, methods, and tools for understanding human-technology interaction.
Janet Vertesi draws on two decades of research with NASA’s robotic spacecraft teams to examine how people and intelligent technologies collaborate to achieve extraordinary scientific outcomes, informing new approaches to automation and mixed-autonomy teamwork.
The program also includes four engaging panel discussions on coordinating human and robot bodies, educational robots and AI, policy and regulation of AI, and robots and AI in care and crisis.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Tuesday, 10 November
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12:00
Registration opens
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13:00 — 13:15
Welcome and introduction
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13:15 — 14:00
Panel 1: Coordinating Human and Robot Bodies
Moderator:
- Valentina Fantasia, Lund University
- Emily Hofstetter, Linköping University
- Juliene Madureira Ferreira, Tampere University
- Madeline Balaam, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
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14:15 — 15:00
Panel 2: Educational Robots and AI
Moderator:
- Ali Reza Majlesi, Karolinska Institutet
- Ginevra Castellano, Uppsala University
- Linnéa Stenliden, Linköping University
- Sofia Serholt, University of Gothenburg
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15:00 — 15:30
Coffee Break
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15:30 — 16:15
Opening Keynote
Steve Benford, University of Nottingham And UKRI Turing AI World Leading Research Fellow
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16:30 — 18:30
Interactive Reception
Participants are welcome to explore live demonstrations where researchers and partners showcase robots, prototypes, and concepts. Attendees experience robots and engage with WASP-HS research in a hands‑on setting.
Wednesday, 11 November
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8:30
Registration opens
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9:00 — 9:15
Welcome and Opening
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9:15 — 10:00
Panel 3: Policy and Regulation of Robots
Moderator:
- Stefan Larsson, Lund University
- Cilli Sobiech, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute
- Barry Brown, University of Copenhagen & Stockholm University
- Eduard Fosch-Villaronga, Leiden University
- Martin Ebers, WASP-HS Guest Professor, Örebro University
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10:00 — 10:15
Coffee Break
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10:30 — 11:15
Panel 4: Robots and AI in Care and Crisis
Moderator:
- Helena Lindgren, Umeå University
- Jessica Lindblom, Uppsala University
- Jesper Tordenlid, Consultant Autonomous systems, Sylog Systems AB
- Marcus Vilhelmsson, Head of Fire & Rescue Section, Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency
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11:15 — 12:00
Closing Keynote
Janet Vertesi, Princeton University and Associate Director of the Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education
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12:00 — 12:15
Closing and announcement of 2027 conference
Speakers
Steven Benford
Read more
Steven Benford
Steven Benford explores how interactive experiences shape human meaning-making, collaborating with artists to create artworks that inspire new concepts, methods, and tools for understanding human-technology interaction.
Janet Vertesi
Read more
Janet Vertesi
Janet Vertesi draws on two decades of research with NASA’s robotic spacecraft teams to examine how people and intelligent technologies collaborate to achieve extraordinary scientific outcomes, informing new approaches to automation and mixed-autonomy teamwork.
