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

• 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

Co-organizers

• Michael Inzlicht, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
• Anat Perry, Department of Psychology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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