CIC students and faculty enjoyed a demonstration by Booster Robotics.
An associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications is leading a charge to expand the future of artificial intelligence and robotics at USC.
Fan Yang, PhD., is the director of the Emergent Technology Lab in the College of Information and Communications and the lead of the Robotics Hub.
Housed within the college, the Emergent Technology Lab is a collaborative space that will merge robotics, artificial intelligence and augmented and virtual reality to explore the rapidly evolving relationship between humans and intelligent machines. The goal is to explore how humans interact with technology that is quickly becoming part of everyday life.
“I’m really fascinated by how AI-powered robotics interact with us and play a role in our daily lives,” Yang said. “Whether you like it or not, robots are entering our world, and in some cases replacing our workforce. We have to understand how to better interact with them.”
Yang’s fascination with robotics grew from the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in 2023, when ChatGPT and other generative AI tools captured global attention and reshaped the technology landscape.
“It completely blew everybody’s mind,” Yang said. “It rejuvenated the entire robotics industry because it gave robots that soul, the ability to understand and interact.”
That spark of curiosity led to a deeper exploration of how AI-powered robots communicate and work alongside humans. After years of research and leadership at the University of South Florida, Yang joined USC in 2025 to help build the new Emergent Technology Lab, a space designed to connect students, faculty and technology in meaningful ways.
“Our leadership here is very forward-thinking,” Yang said. “They realize we need to stay on top of cutting-edge technology — and robotics is undoubtedly part of that.”
The lab will feature three interconnected hubs: Robotics, AR/VR and AI. Together, these teams will collaborate on studies of human-robot and human-AI interaction to combine technical development with research on communication and ethics.
Yang has seen a range of emotional responses to robotics. During her tours at the University of South Florida — which included college students and elementary school students — Yang brought out a small countertop robot, and reactions ranged from fascination to fear.
“College students were scared,” Yang said. “But fifth graders were excited. As we get older, our preconceptions make us more resistant to new things.”
She said that difference in the reaction of students revealed something important about learning and curiosity. Yang believes early exposure helps students break through fear and develop realistic expectations about how robotics actually work.
“Once people avoid new technology, they fall behind,” Yang said. “Through our labs, we can help students engage with robotics and AI in a way that’s comfortable, open and curious.”
CIC Associate Dean for Research Linwan Wu, Ph.D., said preparing students for a technology-driven future is central to the college’s mission.
“When it comes to AI, we really focus on human–AI interaction,” Wu said. “We want to prepare students for careers where they will work with AI.”
As AI becomes more powerful, ethical questions are evolving just as quickly. Yang said that determining the right way to use AI is not always clear and will be an important task for the Lab.
“We’re still figuring out what’s ethical in AI,” they said. “The rules keep changing as technology grows. What matters most is keeping an open, ongoing discussion.”
That spirit of conversation will guide the new lab as it prepares to open. The Robotics Hub aims to help students develop realistic expectations about what robots can and can’t do.
“Some people think robots are clunky and outdated, while others think they’re just like humans,” Yang said. “The truth is in between. It takes the whole world to make even one small breakthrough.”
The Emergent Technology Lab is expected to open in the spring of 2026. USC students will have the opportunity to work with robotics, AI and immersive technology firsthand.
Yang hopes the new space will help students understand that technology isn’t something to fear, but it’s something to learn from.
“Whether we love or hate robotics, we can’t avoid it,” Yang said. “That’s why it’s so important for students to be exposed to these technologies early. The more we understand them, the better we can shape the future.”
Lois Isaiah is a freshman in the USC Honors College, where she is pursuing a degree in civil engineering. She wrote this story for her Honors Writing for Mass Communication course taught by Bertram Rantin. Beyond academics, Isaiah enjoys community service and leadership as a member of the Black Honors Caucus, serving on its special events committee.