Keynote
In person
LeadersGoldDiscovery

Embodied social AI: Rethinking what bodies are for

  • Date
    7 July 2026
    Timeframe
    15:30 - 15:45
    Duration
    15 minutes
    • Days
      Hours
      Min
      Sec

    Social robotics stands at a paradoxical crossroads: while disembodied AI assistants enjoy widespread adoption, embodied social robots continue to fail commercially despite extensive investment. From Jibo to Moxie to Pepper and Nao, the pattern of social robotics failures reveals a fundamental challenge, not with artificial intelligence itself, but with how we conceptualize embodiment. This talk examines why physical bodies have become social robotics’ greatest liability rather than its promised advantage, and what rethinking embodiment could unlock for humanity. When robots have bodies, they generate expectations about perceptual access, environmental awareness, and intentional action that current technology cannot yet fulfill. The integration of large language models has only widened this gap: robots can now discuss quantum physics but still cannot reliably navigate social space. Drawing on research at the intersection of social neuroscience and robotics, I argue that the field’s attachment to human-like embodiment reflects outdated assumptions about social interaction. Through analysis of commercial failures, widespread reliance on Wizard-of-Oz methods, and emerging alternatives, I outline a path forward that rethinks what bodies are for in social AI, and how getting this right could make robots genuinely beneficial across healthcare, education, and elder care.

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