The Technology We Need for the World We Want
The Technology we need for the World we Want
Aspirations, emotions, thoughts and sensations influence our personal experience of the world. Individuals, communities, countries and the planet influence our collective experience in it. micro, meso, macro, meta – Technology increasingly impacts each of these dimensions, and their interplays. Whether that influence is positive or harmful is not a foregone conclusion.
The point of departure for this session is simple – ‘Garbage in, garbage out’. We cannot expect from the technology of tomorrow to live up to values that the humans of today do not manifest. The speakers will look at technology in their respective arenas of expertise, and the influence it has on humanity across the M4Matrix : micro-meso-macro-meta, everything is connected in a hybrid world. Our experiences, and the resulting behavior, are shaped by emotions, thoughts, aspirations and physiological sensations; vice-versa, the resulting experiences influence individuals (micro), communities and institutions (meso), countries and economies (macro) and the Planet (meta) that we are part of. Technology is part of both arenas, it influences how we experience the world and ourselves and how we express this ‘self’. This connection between humanity and technology is increasingly blended. Whether that blend is feeding a vicious or virtuous feedback loop, depends on those who shape and use it. Artificial intelligence (AI) is extrapolating whatever streams of influence are underway. Whether that influence is colored by human values, or commercial interests, is a choice that we can still influence, as clients, coders and investors. Eventually it will take on a dynamic of itself.
Underpinning Logic: Everything is connected within a continuum of constant change, where one component is completed by others and completing them in return. The causes and consequences that influence who we are today started yesterday; they influence who we will be in the future; unknowingly because we are immersed in the hybrid buzz of the present. A collateral outcome of this inside-out/outside-in, offline-online, past-prospective arch is that those who live today shape the environment, including the technology that is part of it, which in turn shapes our lives, and those of future generations. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Every sound has an echo – missteered technology transforms living in a harrowing echo-chamber. Key
Message: Individual choices are the cause and consequence of the evolving status quo. Each personal moral footprint shapes the collective social blueprint of the future. We can consciously and proactively render it kind. Making the future a place where everyone gets a fair chance to fulfill their inherent potential requires human leadership for humane technology. Starter Questions How can we use AI to lift individuals to fulfill their inherent potential ? How can we leverage technology to bring out the best in humankind ?
Definition : Prosocial AI refers to artificial intelligence systems designed to enhance the well-being of individuals and communities by promoting positive social behaviors, fostering collaboration, and supporting ethical decision-making. These AI systems are intentionally developed to align with human values and societal goals, ensuring that their influence contributes to the common good and nurtures harmonious relationships within diverse communities.