MIT's Cynthia Breazeal and Microsoft Research's Eric Horvitz with the BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones

Artificial Intelligence is remaking our world. In a special edition of Revolutionaries, two of the field’s world-leading figures join the BBC’s Rory Cellan Jones to discuss how.

This Revolutionaries evening not only features two of the world's foremost experts in artificial intelligence, but also opens what we hope will be a new co-production partnership with the BBC World Service, which reaches 210 million listeners per week around the globe.

Returning to our stage is Dr. Eric Horvitz, Distinguished Scientist and Managing Director of Microsoft Research. Dr. Horvitz made a landmark gift to Stanford in December 2014 to fund a century-long study of the effects of artificial intelligence on society: the Stanford 100 Year Study of AI, or AI100. He has been working in the field of AI for more than two decades, and his interests include the computational foundations of intelligence – how do our minds work? - as well as the ways that human and machine intelligence might complement one another.

Joining Dr. Horvitz will be Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, founder and Chief Scientist of the social robotics firm Jibo, and Associate Professor of Media Arts & Sciences at MIT's Media Lab. At MIT she founded and directs the Personal Robots Group. Dr. Breazeal, a pioneer and leader in social robotics, was inspired at an early age by Star Wars, R2D2 and C3PO. She has been quoted as saying that "if R2D2 and an iPad had a baby, it'd be Jibo." In addition to learning more about her work at MIT, we'll inquire about her vision for Jibo and about the company's highly successful crowdfunding campaign - $2.2 million in pre-orders in four hours. Jibo received an additional $25 million funding round from a group of venture investors, and now employs more than 20 people in the Boston area.

These two distinguished guests will discuss a wide range of AI topics, beginning with their backgrounds, education and career paths, and their own projects. We'll then expand the discussion to explore the possible perils of machine "superintelligence" and the huge potential both of our guests see for machines to enhance our lives and to positively impact humanity.

Rory Cellan-Jones, the BBC's Technology Correspondent, will travel from London to moderate.

Because this is a co-production with the BBC World Service, this program will run longer than usual. In addition, the format will be a little different from a traditional CHM evening. More details will be provided to the audience prior to the program's start.

The Museum thanks the Carsten-Ellis Foundation for its support, which helps to make the Computer History Museum’s contribution to this edition of Revolutionaries possible.

KQED Radio will broadcast this program on Thursday, October 8 at 8pm.

This event is part of the Museum's acclaimed Revolutionaries speaker series, featuring renowned innovators, business and technology leaders, and authors in enthralling conversations often with leading journalists. Our audiences learn about the process of innovation, its risks and rewards, and failure that led to ultimate success.

The BBC World Service delivers news content around the world in English and 28 other language services, on radio, TV and digital, reaching a weekly audience of 210 million. As part of BBC World Service, BBC Learning English teaches English to global audiences. For more information, visit bbc.com/worldservice. The BBC attracts a weekly global news audience of 283 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.