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About this talk

Join Katie Winkle (Uppsala University) for the Peter Kirstein Lecture 2026, UCL Computer Science's flagship event, exploring how robots could shape the future of society – for better or worse. This year's lecture coincides with International Women in Engineering Day and features an all-female line-up of leading researchers to explore the future of robotics, AI and society. Abstract: We are at a pivotal moment in the history of robotics. Robots are quietly moving from novelty to normal, increasingly found on our streets, in our hospitals, schools and homes. At the same time, social inequality is skyrocketing: polarisation is increasing, economic inequality is growing, gender equality is going backwards. Robots have the power to change our behaviour, influence our thinking and shape how we interact with each other; will they help solve these problems? Or will they make everything worse? Katie will argue that designing robots is really an act of designing society; she believes they really can unlock more equal, joyful and meaningful ways of living, but only if we start thinking (and designing) differently. Following the lecture, Dr Katie Winkle will join Professor Yvonne Rogers for a fireside chat and audience Q&A exploring the societal impact of robotics, AI and human-machine interaction. The discussion will be moderated by Dr Victoria Austin. Guests are invited to continue the conversation at a reception in the ICH Winter Gardens. The event will also be live-streamed.

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