Are Robots Becoming Human? Revisiting Čapek’s Vision at R.U.R. 2025

On 6 November, Jitka joined the discussion “R.U.R. 2025: Are Čapek’s Visions Coming True?” as an invited guest at the Městská knihovna v Praze (Prague City Library). The event revisited the powerful legacy of Karel Čapek and his groundbreaking play R.U.R., which introduced the word “robot” to the world more than a century ago — and asked how close we are to his vision today.

The panel brought together technology and literature, past and present, through a thoughtful discussion on artificial intelligence, ethics, technological limits, and our evolving relationship with machines. Alongside Jitka, speakers Rudolf Rosa and Pavel Kasík shared their perspectives on the rapid development of AI and its broader societal implications. The debate was moderated by Ondřej Hrách from Aignos, who also played a key role in shaping the concept of the evening.

A distinctive atmosphere was created by excerpts from R.U.R. performed using a synthetic voice and accompanied by AI-generated visuals, subtly blurring the boundaries between human and machine perception.

The event was part of the Days of AI programme and offered a unique opportunity to reflect collectively on the future of artificial intelligence. We thank Aignos for the collaboration and everyone who joined us for this inspiring evening.