Robots are no longer the province of science fiction – they surround us every day. Whether it’s surgical robots, drones, or self-driving cars, or autonomous systems that trade stocks and write newspaper articles, machines are playing an increasingly large role in contemporary society. However, the law of robots is still very much rooted in the past. Professor Ryan Calo is an expert in law and emerging technology – particularly drones, self-driving cars, privacy, and of course robots — and he has written extensively in the field. He has recently called for a new agency to oversee the safe development and maintenance of robotic applications. Calo has testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and in 2014 he was named one of the most important people in robotics by Business Insider. He is also an organizer of the annual “We Robot” conference, which focuses on robotics and law.
Ryan Calo
Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Washington