Machine Psychology as the Key to Alignment

Our next CHIA Seminar features Google researchers Winnie Street and Dr Geoff Keeling, who will explore why understanding machine psychology is essential to aligning AI behaviour with human values.

Winnie and Geoff will talk about the distinctive psychological features of frontier AI systems and why these matter for alignment. Drawing on philosophy, cognitive science and the social sciences, they will explore how AI systems interpret values, reason and interact with people—and why these capacities call for a deeper understanding of AI minds.

When: Thursday 19 November 2026, 11 am–12 pm
Where: Room S2, Alison Richard Building, 7 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP

Speakers

Winnie Street – Senior Research Scientist at Google and Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, University of London. Her research explores the cognitive capacities and ethical significance of frontier AI systems, including consciousness, moral status and human–AI relationships.

Dr Geoff Keeling – Staff Research Scientist at Google, Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, University of London, and Associate Fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, University of Cambridge. His work focuses on the ethics and cognitive science of frontier AI, including alignment, trust, manipulation and digital minds.

We look forward to seeing you.