Conversations (Spring 2026)

Our Conversations series is an opportunity for students across disciplines to meet and talk about timely and engaging technology-related topics.

No lecture. 
No readings. 
Just Conversation.
Free pizza.

Come share your thoughts with us!

Conversation Topics

  • a stylized image of a neo robot.

    NEO

    January 27, 2026 | 1pm-2pm

    The NEO Home Robot from 1X Technologies is a humanoid machine designed to perform chores and household tasks. Its creation alludes to countless dreams of home servant robots in science fiction, and represents the boldest strides to realize those fantasies yet. NEO has raised eyebrows by having the majority of its functions currently tele-operated by remote workers through virtual reality headsets.
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  • a stylized image of ray ban meta glasses.

    Ray-Ban Meta

    February 10, 2026 | 1pm-2pm

    Meta has partnered with Ray-Ban on a series of smart glasses with AI technology. A new model offers an integrated display; an impressive step towards merging the real and the virtual. Its release has been harrowed by privacy and ethical concerns, however, including those associated with its recording and facial recognition capabilities.
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  • a stylized image of a vandalized poster for friend.

    Friend

    February 24, 2026 | 1pm-2pm

    You’ve probably seen an advertisement for Friend, and it was probably vandalized. Friend is a small device worn around the neck which listens to ambient speech and sound, occasionally sending text messages to its wearer. It has been the subject of strong criticism over its stated goal of providing comfort to those experiencing loneliness.
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  • a stylized image of a waymo car.

    Waymo

    March 10, 2026 | 1pm-2pm

    USC students are typically familiar with Waymo, a robo-taxi service operated by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. It currently operates in a very limited selection of cities in the United States, including Los Angeles. It represents tremendous advancements in technology, but has become a lightning rod for criticism on accountability of accidents committed by autonomous machines.
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  • a stylized image of several workers.

    The Future of Work

    March 24, 2026 | 1pm-2pm

    In developed countries, college graduates are entering a particularly competitive and unpredictable job market, with entry-level jobs in an especially uncertain state. In developing nations, workers find themselves on shifting ground due to industrial automation and AI looming overhead. What lessons can we learn from the history of industrialization as we look towards the future of work?
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  • a stylized image of luddites destroying mechanical looms.

    Innovation vs. Regulation

    April 7, 2026 | 1pm-2pm

    This Spring’s capping topic has been a recurring theme in the conversations series. We live in a time of diminishing regulation of the technology sector; is that for better or worse? Would you like to see things change? In what way? What would the repercussions be? Join us for a group exploration on an age-old debate.
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