Session 2- Do’s and Don’ts for Human, AI, and Robot Collaboration

11:30 AM to 13:00 PM
Studio 4

This session will examine the evolving landscape of collaboration between humans, AI systems, and robotic agents, focusing on the conditions under which such interactions can be effective, ethical, and socially beneficial. As these technologies become increasingly integrated into workplaces, public institutions, and domestic environments, understanding how to structure cooperation is crucial. The session will explore how tasks and responsibilities can be distributed to complement human and machine strengths, how to design interactions that foster mutual understanding and trust, and how to anticipate and mitigate risks related to dependency, bias, and miscommunication. It will draw on interdisciplinary perspectives—spanning human-computer interaction, cognitive science, and ethics—to identify both promising practices and common pitfalls.

Meet the speakers

  • Ann Nowe

    MODERATOR

    FARI Academic Director - Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

    Ann Nowé graduated from the University of Ghent in 1987, where she studied mathematics with optional courses in computer science. She then became research assistant at the University of Brussels where she finished her PhD in 1994 in collaboration with Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. The subject of her PhD is located in the intersection of Computer Science (A.I.), Control Theory (Fuzzy Control) and Mathematics (Numerical Analysis, Stochastic Approximation). After a period of 3 years as senior research assistant at the VUB, she became a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (F.W.O.). Nowadays, She is a professor both in the Computer Science Department of the faculty of Sciences as in the Computer Science group of the Engineering Faculty.

  • Tony Belpaeme

    SPEAKER

    Professor at Ghent University, Senior Researcher at imec and Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth.

    Tony Belpaeme is a Professor at Ghent University, Senior Researcher at imec and Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth. He received his PhD in Computer Science from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). At Ghent University he leads a team studying cognitive robotics and human-robot interaction.

    Starting from the premise that intelligence is rooted in social interaction, Belpaeme and his research team try to further the science and technology behind artificial intelligence and social human-robot interaction. This results in a spectrum of results, from theoretical insights to practical applications.

    He coordinated several large-scale European projects studying how robots can support children while learning a second language (H2020 L2TOR) and how long-term human-robot interaction can be use in pediatric applications (ALIZ-E), and worked on robots for Autism Spectrum Disorder therapy and value-aware Human-Robot Interaction.

  • Sasha Vezhnevets

    SPEAKER

    Research Scientist at Google DeepMind

    Sasha Vezhnevets is an AI research scientist and a meditator, based in London, UK. He is a staff research scientist at Google DeepMind.

    Throughout his career, he has worked on computer vision, hierarchical reinforcement learning, multi-agent reinforcement learning, and generative agent-based modelling. His current research interests include multi-agent systems, social cognition, computational social construction, and cultural evolution. He is also interested in bridging ideas from AI, social sciences, and social psychology.

    In addition to his scientific work, he is a meditator and a contemporary Vajrayana practitioner. His practice is primarily rooted in Dzogchen and Tantra (Yidams) from a Dzogchen perspective. He writes about his practice, the experiences it brings, and its relation to his life on Substack. He is part of the Evolving Ground community.