The transition from passive AI tools to autonomous AI agents marks a fundamental shift from model-centric evaluation to an interactionist paradigm, firmly placing the future of computer science within the domain of the cognitive, behavioral, and psychological sciences. As agents develop sophisticated cognitive architectures, mediate complex economic transactions, and embed themselves within hybrid social networks, isolated technical alignment is no longer sufficient. If we are to release truly autonomous agents into our world, we must equip them with normative competence: the architectural capacity to understand, internalize, and act in accordance with the implicit rules, values, and societal norms that dictate human behavior. This presentation establishes a cross-disciplinary framework for building and evaluating normative competence across three intersecting domains: Agents, Economies, and Hybrid Societies. We examine the psychological attractors underpinning artificial agency; the choice frameworks and game-theoretic dynamics driving human-agent marketplaces; and the emergent legal, civic, and institutional structures required for computational governance. Ultimately, we argue that treating AI agents not merely as utility maximizers, but as normative actors capable of self-determined ethical action, provides the definitive foundation for  ensuring safety, legibility, and human-machine symbiosis in the agentic era.

TBA

Cognitive neuroscientists have a societal obligation not only to generate knowledge, but to disseminate it and steward its responsible application. This seminar brings together two researchers whose work spans the arc from fundamental neuroscience to real-world implementation, addressing the successes and challenges of translating findings into practice. Katia Steinfeld (UniL) connects her research on how myopia shapes visual and multisensory development to Escolhares, the non-profit she founded that delivers eye care to over 4,000 children annually in underserved Brazilian communities. Meike Ramon (BFH) draws on two decades of research into the neural and cognitive mechanisms of face identity processing to trace her path from basic questions about how the brain recognizes faces to applied collaborations with the public sector—spanning clinical assessment, security and identity verification, and everyday trust and social interaction. Together, these talks offer complementary perspectives—one from an established research trajectory, one from an early-career scientist bridging lab and field—on what it takes to move cognitive neuroscience out of the laboratory and into domains such as education, public policy, and security. Both speakers reflect on balancing scientific rigor with real-world relevance, and on building the dialogue with policymakers and practitioners needed to responsibly translate research into societal impact.