How AI Manipulates Us: The Ethics of Human-Robot Interaction

What if the machines we build not only think, but also learn how to manipulate us? What if the interfaces we trust—voice assistants, chatbots, and social robots—quietly learned to steer our beliefs and choices? 

Raja Chatila will unpack the ethical risks of human–AI interaction, where systems can exploit trust, attachment, and even deception.

Drawing from his decades of leadership in AI ethics and robotics, Raja will show us where these risks come from, how to design against them, and how they connect to larger existential threats such as AI-powered surveillance, authoritarian control, and misinformation-driven democratic collapse.

In this masterclass, you’ll learn three key lessons:

1. How AI systems can subtly influence human decisions and relationships—from anthropomorphic robots to deceptive interfaces.
2. Why this matters for society and democracy—with real-world cases of manipulation leading to broader risks like authoritarian control and erosion of trust.
3. What builders, policymakers, and investors can do now—practical steps to embed ethical safeguards and governance before these risks escalate.

By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how human–AI interaction is not just a design challenge but a societal one, and how to act responsibly while still enabling innovation.