Since its inception in 2012, We Robot has been the leading interdisciplinary conference exploring the intersection of law, policy, and robotics. Bringing together scholars, designers, engineers, and policymakers, the conference provides a vibrant forum for debate at the front lines of robot theory, development, and deployment. With its peer-reviewed program and a strong commitment to scholarly exchange, We Robot continues to shape the critical conversations around the governance and social impact of emerging robotic and AI systems.
The Ian R. Kerr Memorial Best Paper Award honors the legacy of our beloved and much-missed colleague Ian R. Kerr, a visionary scholar in law and technology and one of We Robot’s three co-founders. Known for his deep curiosity, generosity, interdisciplinary spirit, and vision, Ian helped shape We Robot into a globally recognized event. The award recognizes outstanding scholarship presented at the conference. In 2025, the award was generously supported by the AI + Society Initiative at the University of Ottawa and an anonymous donor to the Ian R. Kerr Fund.
The We Robot 2025 awarded committee selected “Consensus ad artificialis: Contract Theory Meets the GenAI Mind” by Dr. Katie Szilagyi, Associate Member at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society and an Assistant Professor of Law at Robson Hall, University of Manitoba, and Prof. Marina Pavlović, Faculty member at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society and Associate Professor within the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section at the University of Ottawa.
This year’s award was jointly awarded to a second paper authored by Claire Huntington (Columbia University) exploring the legal implications of AI companions within family structures.
Bold, interdisciplinary, and deeply attuned to the legal and ethical challenges of emerging technologies, both papers carry forward the spirit and ambition of Ian Kerr’s legacy.
Congratulations to the winners !