On February 20th, the Lamarr Institute welcomed renowned researcher Prof. Edward A. Lee in cooperation with RC Trust and TU Dortmund University as part of the new “UA Ruhr Distinguished Lecture Series Trustworthy AI” and special feature of “TU Dortmund im Gespräch”. The talk drew an enthusiastic audience eager to explore the future of artificial intelligence. Prof. Lee delivered a captivating keynote titled “Will Embodied AI Become Sentient?”, sparking thought-provoking discussions about the transformative potential of embodied robotics and its implications for cognition and accountability in AI.
Keynote Highlights
In his lecture, Prof. Lee examined how advances in embodied robotics – systems capable of sensing and acting within their physical environments – are reshaping our understanding of sentience in Artificial Intelligence. Drawing on theories from Turing Award winners Judea Pearl, Shafi Goldwasser, Silvio Micali, and Robin Milner, he argued that embodied AI could develop forms of subjective reasoning that challenge traditional concepts of knowledge acquisition and accountability.
Prof. Lee’s engaging presentation left attendees with profound questions about whether robots might one day achieve sentience – and whether humans would ever be able to truly confirm it.
Interdisciplinary Panel Discussion
Following the keynote, an interdisciplinary panel discussion provided further insights into Prof. Lee’s ideas and broader themes surrounding embodied AI. The panel featured:
- Prof. Nicole Krämer (RC Trust),
- Prof. Jens Gerken (TU Dortmund),
- Prof. Sergio Lucia (TU Dortmund),
- Prof. Jakob Rehof, one of Lamarr’s directors.
Prof. Lee himself joined the lively discussion, which offered diverse perspectives on topics ranging from ethical considerations to technical challenges in developing embodied AI systems.
Attendees had the opportunity to continue these conversations informally during a networking session with snacks and drinks at TU Dortmund University’s Rudolf-Chaudoire-Pavillon – a fitting conclusion to an intellectually stimulating afternoon.
This special colloquium was yet another example of how events at the Lamarr Institute bring together experts across disciplines to tackle some of the most pressing questions in AI research today.
On the Events page you will find future events of the Lamarr Institute on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.