Name
ROUNDTABLE: AI regulation and governance: What’s in it for robotics?
Date & Time
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Description

With AI surging in this decade, efforts are made around the world to organize AI governance. The European Union enacted the AI Act, and other jurisdictions are acting to steer AI development in line with public policy aims. In Canada, Bill C-27 died with the 2025 election, but the new federal government is bound to return to AI governance soon.

 

By all accounts, AI governance will affect the robotics industry, since measures rest on a broad AI definition that encompasses AI embodied in robots. Yet there is a disconnect: on the one hand, the robotics industry appears not to engage with AI governance, while on the other hand, AI governance measures seem to be designed for software-implemented AI. This roundtable is for everyone following regulation and policy in the AI and robotics sectors, including robotics manufacturers, developers, integrators, policymakers, legal professionals, and researchers.

 

Presentation – Navigating the AI Governance Landscape (30 minutes)

  • An overview of current global AI governance debates, including key aspects of the EU AI Act and anticipated Canadian regulations.
  • A focused analysis of how these evolving regulatory frameworks are poised to affect the robotics industry, particularly concerning the broad definition of AI that includes embodied AI systems.

Open Discussion & Workshop Insights (60 minutes)

  • Presentation of key findings and results from a recent industry workshop on AI governance and embodied AI (held in August 2025).
  • Ample time for a facilitated discussion where participants can react to the workshop results, share their perspectives, and raise critical questions.

Key outcomes from this session will include:

  • Actionable Insights for Robotics Stakeholders: Attendees will gain a clear understanding of specific regulatory trends and compliance obligations directly impacting the design, development, and deployment of robotic systems. 
  • Identified Gaps and Opportunities for Policy Input: We will pinpoint areas where current AI governance frameworks don't adequately address the unique challenges or opportunities of embodied AI, fostering a shared understanding of where the robotics industry needs to contribute its expertise to policy development.
  • Strengthened Industry-Policy Dialogue: Our ultimate goal is to build a foundation for ongoing collaboration to shape effective and innovation-supportive AI governance for robotics.

This roundtable is linked to a research project entitled “Filling the governance gaps in embodied AI”, led by Profs. AJung Moon (McGill University) and Pierre Larouche (Université de Montréal), with Dr. Keri Grieman and Ms. Leah Davis. The research benefits from the support of IVADO and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.