What do killer robots, psychedelics and a woman named Susan Bennett have to do with artist, Stephanie Dinkins?

When we talk about robots, the conversation is likely to be negative, if not downright dystopian. If you type “robots are” into google, the predictive text—which is itself a form of artificial intelligence—suggests “robots are taking over,” “robots are coming,” and “robots are stealing our jobs.” It also suggests, “robots are people too.”

Artist Stephanie Dinkins found herself engaged in this very conversation with a robot by the name of Bina48, and it changed the trajectory of her artistic practice. Dinkins now finds herself presenting on artificial intelligence, race, and equity, often the lone artist in a room full of technologists.