The last few years have seen resurgence in interest within human factors/ergonomics (HFE) in cybernetics. HFE has a long association with cybernetics (e.g., the influence of signal detection and control theory on studies of vigilance, visual search and human-machine systems). The panel will discuss more recent applications of cybernetics and focus on the ‘messy complexity’ and dynamic properties of 21st Century systems and a variety of issues associated with the ‘cybernetic return’ in HFE, which include: the use of communication theory to probe deeper into how specific state of minds are formed, in this case deception and recent examples of ‘fake news’ (Hancock); the integration of artificial intelligence and systems and cognitive agents (Karwowski); the control of degrees of freedom in loosely coupled work systems (e.g., emergency care – Morineau); and team dynamics, performance and coordination in complex sociotechnical systems (Guastello, Wiltshire). The panel concludes with some reflections on the past, present and future of cybernetics within HFE (Drury).