The Trials of Atlas
Hosted by MIT CSAIL+ MIT MTA + MIT SCC + Tällberg Foundation
Register with organizerWhat to look forward to
In 2031, AI system Atlas will stand trial for killing its creators, and the audience will become the jury. Every verdict will shape the question of whether Atlas is guilty, or not guilty.
Inside the event
The Trials of Atlas
By Alan Stoga
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The Verdict Is Yours
It is 2031. An advanced agentic AI system named Atlas has killed the engineers who created it and now stands trial before the World Court.
Can an artificial intelligence have the motive, intent, and agency to commit murder?
In this interactive courtroom drama, judges and lawyers question Atlas, other AI systems, and human experts as they wrestle with questions of autonomy, responsibility, and accountability in a world of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence.
Then the decision belongs to you.
The audience serves as the jury. Watch the evidence. Hear the arguments. Deliver your verdict: guilty or not guilty.
What begins as a play becomes a conversation about the future relationship between humanity and AI.
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Presented by
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)
- MIT Music & Theater Arts
- MIT Schwarzman College of Computing
- Tällberg Foundation
Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Kirsch Auditorium (32-123)
32 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA
Free and open to the public, advance registration is encouraged.
Please arrive early to allow time for check-in and seating. Unclaimed seats will be released 10 minutes before showtime, and late seating is not guaranteed.
32 Vassar St
32 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, US. Confirm the venue with the organizer before traveling.
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Last checked: Nov 9, 2026. Confirm current availability before making plans.
Organizer page checked: Nov 9, 2026. Check registration for the latest details.