With appropriate policies in place, robots should become our "best friends," not our "worst nightmare," experts said at the 41st Annual AAAS Forum on Science & Technology Policy on 14 April. During a panel, entitled "Best Friend or Worst Nightmare? Autonomy and AI in the Lab and in Society," experts on artificial intelligence (AI) spoke about the role of policy in integrating new technologies into people's lives. They both praised current AI advancements, and urged more policymaking in the arena of autonomous systems, particularly related to disaster relief, sustainability, and the military, among other applications. The panel, co-organized by AAAS staff member Jonathan Drake and retired Vice President of Sandia's California Laboratory Miriam John, urged a stronger focus on the promise of AI, rather than its perils.