My year living with a robot | Emily Kate Genatowski - TED Talks Daily Recap

Podcast: TED Talks Daily

Published: 2026-03-03

Duration: 16 min

Summary

Emily Kate Genatowski shares her experiences living with a humanoid robot named Tova, exploring the everyday realities and practical challenges of integrating AI into our lives. Through her insights, she emphasizes the importance of addressing the small, practical questions that accompany technological advancements in AI and robotics.

What Happened

In this episode, historian and AI researcher Emily Kate Genatowski recounts her year-long experience living with Tova, a humanoid robot. Rather than engaging in dramatic sci-fi predictions, she focuses on the everyday implications of having a robot in her home. Emily highlights that living with Tova raised essential questions about technology's integration into society, including issues of liability and regulation that are often overlooked in broader discussions about AI's future.

Emily shares a humorous yet enlightening anecdote about trying to expand her home insurance to cover the potential damages caused by Tova. After calling her insurance company to inquire about this unique situation, she was met with skepticism and laughter, illustrating the real-world challenges of navigating insurance and liability in a future with humanoid robots. This experience led her to reflect on the pressing need for clarity on who is responsible when an AI robot causes damage.

Another key moment in her talk revolves around the complexities of transporting Tova. Emily recounts a comical incident while trying to catch a cab at 4 a.m. with Tova packed in a giant crate, which led to a panicked cab driver questioning if there was a body inside. She points out the absurdities of current transport regulations and advocates for a thoughtful approach to how we will integrate robots into public life, emphasizing that successful integration will require addressing these practical challenges head-on.

Key Insights

• Living with a humanoid robot raises practical questions about liability and insurance that need to be addressed as AI becomes more prevalent.
• The need for regulations surrounding transportation of robots highlights the absurdities of current systems and the gaps that exist in our understanding of AI integration.
• Emily's experiences demonstrate that discussions about AI should not only focus on grand philosophical ideas but also on the small, everyday realities that will shape our future.
• The humorous anecdotes from her life with Tova serve to illustrate the complexities and unpredictability of living with advanced technology.