Professor Catholijn Jonker Discusses Human-AI Collaboration in 'Big Questions'
amsterdam, maandag, 11 augustus 2025.
In the latest episode of the podcast ‘Big Questions’, Professor of Artificial Intelligence Catholijn Jonker explores the challenges and opportunities of collaboration between humans and AI. She discusses how we can make optimal use of self-learning systems without losing control, with a focus on the reliability of firefighting robots and communication between humans and machines.
Human-AI Collaboration in Focus
In the latest episode of the podcast ‘Big Questions’, Professor of Artificial Intelligence Catholijn Jonker discusses the challenges and opportunities of collaboration between humans and AI. She explains how we can make optimal use of self-learning systems without losing control. Key topics include the reliability of firefighting robots and communication between humans and machines [1].
Reliability of Firefighting Robots
One of the central questions in the discussion is when firefighters can trust the decisions made by a firefighting robot and how the robot can provide the right information to humans. Myrthe Tielman, a researcher specialising in human-machine interaction, investigates how this trust relationship can be built. According to her, it is crucial that the robot is transparent about its decisions and is capable of sending clear and understandable messages [1].
Ethical Considerations and Future Perspectives
The discussion on human-AI collaboration also involves ethical considerations. Catholijn Jonker points out that it is important to define the limits of AI and ensure that humans always have the final say. This is particularly relevant in situations where human judgment and empathy are critical. The future will see an increasingly close integration between humans and machines, with a focus on creating systems that are both efficient and responsible [1].