October 10th, 2018. I gave a talk on “The Societal Impact of Robots and Artificial Intelligence”, organized by the Google Chair in Digital Innovation at the College of Europe, Bruges campus.
The information of this seminar from College of Europe websites as below:
The Societal Impact of Robots and Artificial Intelligence
On 10 October 2018, the Google Chair in Digital Innovation at the College of Europe organized an international seminar dealing with the Societal Impact of Robots and Artificial Intelligence, in cooperation with representatives of Waseda University in Tokyo. The event started at 14:00 with a presentation by Professor Toshie TAKAHASHI of the School of Culture, Media and Society at Waseda University. Professor TAKAHASHI’s presentation was followed by remarks by Professor Andrea RENDA, holder of the Google Chair, who illustrated the current state of the debate on artificial intelligence in Europe. Comments were provided by Professor Shuji HASHIMOTO and Professor Yoshiyuki SHIRAKAWA of Waseda University, followed by a debate with the audience.
Developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics present new challenges to society in the 21st century. Robots and AI-enabled systems are already changing manufacturing supply chains, and are expected to gradually permeate many aspects of social life. While in Europe dystopian views are often predominant in the debate, with a looming threat that robots replace jobs and distort interpersonal relationship, in Japan the age of robots seems to have started earlier, and is less dominated by fear. The more consolidated Japanese experience may be very helpful for Europe at a time in which many Member States, and now the European Commission are discussing upcoming ethical guidelines on AI, as well as a policy and investment strategy to compete globally on AI and data driven innovation.

with President Monar of the College of Europe, and Vice President Hashimoto of Waseda University
Participation in the seminar was open to the public.
For more information please contact Gil STEIN, Senior Academic Assistant to the Google Chair.
About Toshie Takahashi
Toshie Takahashi is Professor in the School of Culture, Media and Society, as well as the Institute for Al and Robotics,Waseda University, Tokyo. She was the former faculty Associate at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. She has held visiting appointments at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge as well as Columbia University. She conducts cross-cultural and trans-disciplinary research on the social impact of robots as well as the potential of AI for Social Good.
【早稲田大学文学学術院教授。元ハーバード大学バークマンクライン研究所ファカルティ・アソシエイト。現在、人工知能の社会的インパクトやロボットの利活用などについて、ハーバード大学やケンブリッジ大学と国際共同研究を行っている。東京オリンピック・パラリンピック競技大会組織委員会テクノロジー諮問委員会委員。】