Uncanny Valleys: Thinking and Feeling in the Age of Synthetic Humans

From service robots to virtual agents like Apple’s Siri, humanlike machines are poised to grow ever more integral to our daily lives. Researchers like Hiroshi Ishiguro, Yoshio Matsumoto, Travis Deyle, and Jonathan Gratch of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies are shaping the facial expressions, thought processes, verbal tics, and other aspects that make these machines appear to be “human.”

In simulating human qualities, researchers face both practical design challenges and philosophical questions about how to guide our interactions with synthetic humans. Join us for a discussion with leading creators of humanlike machines and historian of science Jessica Riskin (The Restless Clock) about the future of artificial life and new pathways for human-machine interactions. You’ll also have a chance to explore an interactive showcase of humanlike machines and virtual agents currently under development at leading research labs and technology companies.

In conjunction with this event, the USC Libraries will present an exhibition on artificial intelligence and virtual humans in Doheny Library.