Hybrid Society
Hybrid Society is a provocative podcast exploring the uneasy co‑evolution of humans and artificial intelligence.
Hosted by Joshiya Mitsunaga, with co‑hosts Prof. Catholijn Jonker (Professor of Interactive Intelligence at TU Delft) and Prof. Frank van Harmelen (Full Professor of Knowledge Representation & Reasoning, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), each episode unpacks the political, ethical, and philosophical tensions at the heart of smart technology.
From algorithmic injustice to value misalignment, we confront the hard questions Silicon Valley would rather you didn’t ask.
Hybrid Society
How Smart Should Educational Robots Become?
Robots that help children learn, play, and feel better, dream or reality? In this episode, we talk with Mike Ligthart, researcher of social robots in education and healthcare. Together with Professor Frank van Harmelen, we explore how intelligent these robots should actually be. From simulated empathy to storytelling, Mike explains how robots can build real connections with children, and where the ethical boundaries lie.
But what happens when smart technology falls into the wrong hands? How do we prevent misuse while still developing systems that can genuinely improve education and healthcare? Mike highlights the importance of responsible design and collaboration, while Frank explains how hybrid intelligence can help maintain those ethical boundaries.
