Priya Persaud

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Dr. Priya Persaud is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and smart urban systems. Her work primarily explores the cognitive limitations of autonomous systems and the profound legal and societal implications of advanced robotics. In her highly cited 2017 study, “Enhancing Autonomous Vehicles with Commonsense: Smart Mobility in Smart Cities” (29 citations), Dr. Persaud critically assessed the current cognitive capacity of autonomous vehicles, identifying critical gaps in commonsense reasoning that must be addressed for safe integration into smart cities. This work has become a foundational reference for researchers aiming to bridge AI’s “common sense” deficit. Dr. Persaud is also a leading voice in the emerging field of robot rights. Her provocative 2021 cross-disciplinary paper, “Can Robots Get Some Human Rights?” (12 citations), ignited debate by examining the legal implications of robots passing self-awareness tests. By framing the cognitive evolution of machines as a pressing legal and ethical challenge, she has helped shape discourse on personhood, liability, and moral consideration for non-human entities. Dr. Persaud’s research is essential reading for anyone interested in the responsible development of AI and the future of human-robot coexistence.