Title: Cyborg Psychology: Inventing, Investigating, and Inspiring Human-AI Systems for Human Flourishing

Abstract: As humans and technology become increasingly integrated at both personal and societal levels, we are essentially evolving into "cyborgs," yet this transformation does not inherently ensure positive outcomes for humanity. My research takes an interdisciplinary approach to inventing, investigating, and inspiring next-generation human-AI systems for human flourishing. More specifically, my research: (1) Develops personalized AI systems informed by human psychology and behavioral science that augment human capabilities in decision-making, critical thinking, learning, and beyond; (2) Investigates emerging phenomena through empirical studies examining how AI reshapes cognition, emotion, and behavior, exploring emotional dependence on AI companions, cognitive manipulation, false memory implantation, and placebo effects in human-AI interaction; (3) Inspires critically optimistic futures through collaborations with humanists, artists, and filmmakers to create speculative artifacts and experiences that envision radically pluralistic cyborg futures, offering nuanced alternatives to dystopian and utopian extremes while honoring diverse cultural values and ways of knowing. The goal of my work is to establish a new discipline focused on the science of human-AI interaction, empowering AI developers with deeper understanding of design implications and inspiring novel use cases that foster human wellbeing. In this talk I will discuss both my scientific research and artistic work exploring the future of human flourishing with AI. My hope is to catalyze a new intellectual renaissance with AI that advances technology for the benefit of human experience.

Bio: Pat Pataranutaporn, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directs the Cyborg Psychology research group. He also serves as co-director of the MIT Media Lab's Advancing Humans with AI (AHA) Research Program. His research lies at the intersection of AI and human-computer interaction, where he develops and studies AI systems that support human flourishing. Pataranutaporn's research contributions have been published in numerous leading peer-reviewed journals and conferences, such as Nature Machine Intelligence, PNAS, IEEE Computer Society, ACM SIGCHI, ACM IUI, ACM Augmented Humans, and ACM SIGGRAPH. His work has been highlighted by the United Nations AI for Good forum and featured in MIT Tech Review, the Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, the Atlantic, Scientific American, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, and more. His work was honored as one of TIME's "Best Inventions of 2023" and was included in Fast Company's "World Changing Ideas" in both 2023 and 2025. Pataranutaporn has received fellowships and grants from multiple research agencies and corporations, including NASA, OpenAI, and KBTG. Additionally, Pat serves as co-creator and writer for the Netflix sci-fi anthology series "Tomorrow and I," which premiered in 2024.