A leading expert in robot ethics, Dr. Kate Darling is a research scientist at the MIT Media Lab, where she investigates social robotics and conducts experimental studies on human-robot interaction. Forever interested in how technology intersects with society, Kate has a background in law & economics and intellectual property, she explores the emotional connection between people and life-like machines, seeking to influence technology design and policy direction. Her writing and research anticipate difficult questions that lawmakers, engineers, and the wider public will need to address as human-robot relationships evolve in the coming decades. Dr. Darling’s work has been featured in international media, and she has authored multiple academic publications and contributed to industry publications from Vogue to Die Zeit to the BBC, and in 2017, the American Bar Association honored her legal work with the Mark T. Banner Award in Intellectual Property.

Jimmy Tingle has worked his way up the stand-up comedy ladder from open mics and street performer to commentator/humorist on “60 Minutes II” and commencement speaker at the Hallowed Halls of Harvard. He now stands among the top social and political humorists of his generation as he aspires to make audiences of all backgrounds and political persuasions see the humor in their daily lives.