The Human Variable: Psychology for the AI Age

What happens to human psychological wellness when we turn to machines for comfort and love? We are witnessing an unprecedented transformation in human relationships as artificial intelligence (AI) enters the most intimate spheres of personal support, companionship, and guidance. AI systems are increasingly functioning as therapists, companions, and coaches, challenging our fundamental understanding of care, empathy, and human connection. The Human Variable: Psychology for the AI Age is a one-day conference convened by SRI Research Lead, Michael Inzlicht, bringing together leading researchers from psychology, philosophy, and computer science to examine what the human mind can tell us about artificial intelligence, and what artificial intelligence can tell us about the human mind. The morning features three panels addressing questions that psychology, philosophy, and computer science are beginning to answer: how AI is reshaping human relationships; what AI reveals about the nature of human morality; and the ethical and political stakes of AI in public life. The afternoon features a keynote lecture by David Chalmers (New York University), one of the world's foremost philosophers of mind, on whether AI systems can have genuine emotions and inner states. His talk will be followed by a conversation with Paul Bloom and audience questions. Join us as we convene experts across disciplines to examine both opportunities and risks of AI in therapy, companionship, and coaching with the goal of producing actionable guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Schedule Morning workshop 9:00 – 10:30 AM: Session 1: Relational AI 10:30 – 11:00 AM: Morning break 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM: Session 2: Morality and AI 12:30 – 1:30 PM: Catered lunch 1:30 – 3:00 PM: Session 3: Politics, Ethics, and Death 3:00 – 3:30 PM: Afternoon break Afternoon keynote 3:30 - 5:00 PM: Keynote with David Chalmers This is an in-person only event. Speakers Michael Inzlicht, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Danica J. Dillion, Complexity Science Hub and Deepest Beliefs Lab, Ohio State University Daryl Cameron, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University Gord Pennycook, Department of Psychology, Cornell University Joshua (Gus) Skorburg, Department of Philosophy, University of Guelph Karina Vold, Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology, University of Toronto Morteza Deghani, Center for Computational Language Sciences, University of Southern California Myra Cheng, Department of Computer Science, Stanford University Paul Bloom, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Victória Oldemburgo de Mello, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto With keynote by David Chalmers, Department of Philosophy, New York University Event Partners Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto Venue Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, East Winter Gardens, University of Toronto, 108 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0C6 About the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society Located at the University of Toronto, the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society’s mission is to deepen our knowledge of technologies, societies, and what it means to be human by integrating research across traditional boundaries and building human-centred solutions that really make a difference. The integrative research we conduct rethinks technology’s role in society, the contemporary needs of human communities, and the systems that govern them. We’re investigating how best to align technology with human values and deploy it accordingly. The human-centred solutions we build are actionable and practical, highlighting the potential of emerging technologies to serve the public good while protecting citizens and societies from their misuse. We want to make sure powerful technologies truly make the world a better place—for everyone. Explore upcoming events by visiting SRI’s Events page.