Hybrid Society is a provocative podcast exploring the uneasy co‑evolution of humans and artificial intelligence.
Hosted by Joshiya Mitsunaga, with co‑hosts Prof. Catholijn Jonker (Professor of Interactive Intelligence at TU Delft) and Prof. Frank van Harmelen (Full Professor of Knowledge Representation & Reasoning, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), each episode unpacks the political, ethical, and philosophical tensions at the heart of smart technology.
From algorithmic injustice to value misalignment, we confront the hard questions Silicon Valley would rather you didn’t ask.
We tell AI what to do, write a text, solve a problem, answer a question. But what if it developed a purpose of its own? In this episode, Selene Báez Santamaría from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam joins us to explore AI systems that learn through dialogue, build structured memories, and even recognise what they don’t know. Together with Professor Catholijn Jonker, we ask: what happens when AI moves beyond obedience and starts to reflect, question, and grow? Selene explains how her conversational...
17 Feb 2026
Can AI Negotiate Better Than Humans?
In this episode of Hybrid Society, we spotlight AI negotiation researcher Bram Renting (Leiden University & Delft University of Technology). Together with hosts Joshiya Mitsunaga and Catholijn Jonker, Bram takes us inside the cutting edge of AI systems that don’t just schedule meetings—but actively negotiate complex human preferences. Bram shares how his research uses advanced techniques like deep reinforcement learning to build AI that can handle layered, value-driven negotiations—from c...
7 Jan 2026
Does Your Opinion Count for AI?
When citizens share their views on local projects, we expect every opinion to count, but does it, when AI joins the discussion? In this episode, Michiel van der Meer from Leiden University explains how artificial intelligence processes human opinions and what it takes to make sure every voice is represented. Together with Professor Catholijn Jonker, we explore how hybrid intelligence can make digital democracy more inclusive and transparent. The conversation takes a critical turn when AI’s ro...
5 Dec 2025
How Smart Should Educational Robots Become?
Robots that help children learn, play, and feel better, dream or reality? In this episode, we talk with Mike Ligthart, researcher of social robots in education and healthcare. Together with Professor Frank van Harmelen, we explore how intelligent these robots should actually be. From simulated empathy to storytelling, Mike explains how robots can build real connections with children, and where the ethical boundaries lie. But what happens when smart technology falls into the wrong hands? How d...
3 Nov 2025
Can AI Be A Judge?
From facial recognition to predictive policing, technology is increasingly being used to support legal decision-making. But how far do we want to go? Could AI replace a judge? Is AI the answer to miscarriages of justice? In this episode, Cor Steging, researcher in Explainable AI and a critical voice on the reliability of AI in legal decision-making, joins the discussion. Also with us is Frank van Harmelen, Professor of AI and specialist in hybrid intelligence, here to shed light on the balanc...
2 Oct 2025
The Hidden Cost of Trusting AI More Than Ourselves
AI is advancing at lightning speed, transforming economies, politics, and the way we trust information. But what happens when we begin to trust AI more than ourselves? In this episode of Hybrid Society, we dive into the foundations of AI trust, flawed data, misinformation, and the growing concentration of power. With insights from Siddharth Mehrothra, expert on the risks of overreliance, and Professor Catholijn Jonker, leading advocate for Hybrid Intelligence, we explore whether transpa...
4 Sept 2025
Whose Values Shape AI?
What happens when artificial intelligence learns our values, or ignores them completely? In this episode of Hybrid Society, hosts Joshiya Mitsunaga and Catholijn Jonker talk with researcher Enrico Liscio about the promises and risks of hybrid intelligence, the clash between freedom and regulation, and what it means when machines start negotiating human values.
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