What do you do when your computer can’t recognize your face? In a previous blog, we explored the potential applications for emotional AI. At the heart of this technology is the ability to recognize faces. Facial recognition is gaining widespread attention for its hidden dangers. This Coded Bias short review summarizes the story of female researchers who opened the black box of major applications that use FR. What they found is a warning to all of us making Coded Bias a bold call for algorithmic justice.
Official Trailer
Coded Bias Short Review: Exposing the Inaccuracies of Facial Recognition
The secret is out, FR algorithms are a lot better at recognizing white male faces than of any other group. The difference is not trivial. Joy Buolamwini, MIT researcher and main character in the film, found that dark-skinned women were miss-classified up to 35% of the time compared to less than 1% for male white faces! Error rates of this level can have life-altering consequences when used in policing, judicial decisions, or surveillance applications.
Screen Capture
It all started when Joy was looking for facial recognition software to recognize her face for an art project. She would have to put a white mask on in order to be detected by the camera. This initial experience led her down to a new path of research. If she was experiencing this problem, who else and how would this be impacting others that looked like her. Eventually, she stumbled upon the work of Kathy O’Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, discovering the world of Algorithmic activism already underway.
The documentary weaves in multiple cases where FR misclassification is having a devastating impact on people’s lives. Unfortunately, the burden is falling mostly on the poor and people of color. From an apartment complex in Brooklyn, the streets of London, and a school district in Houston, local activists are mobilizing political energy to expose the downsides of FR. In doing so, Netflix Coded Bias shows not only the problem but also sheds light on the growing movement that arose to correct it. In that, we can find hope.
If this wasn’t clear before, here it is: watch the documentary Coded Bias multiple times. This one is worth your time.
The Call for Algorithmic Justice
The fight for equality in the 21st century will be centered on algorithmic justice. What does that mean? Algorithms are fast becoming embedded in growing areas of decision-making. From movie recommendations to hiring, cute apps to judicial decisions, self-driving cars to who gets to rent a house, algorithms are influencing and dictating decisions.
Yet, they are only as good as the data used to train them. If that data contains present inequities and or is biased towards ruling majorities, they will inevitably disproportionately impact minorities. Hence, the fight for algorithmic justice starts with the regulation and monitoring of their results. The current lack of transparency in the process is no longer acceptable. While some corporations may intended to discriminate, their neglect of oversight makes them culpable.
Because of its ubiquitous impact, the struggle for algorithmic justice is not just the domain of data scientists and lawmakers. Instead, this is a fight that belongs to all of us. In the next blog, I’ll be going over recent efforts to regulate facial recognition. This marks the next step in Coded Bias call for algorithmic justice.
I am hesitant to watch French movies as the protagonist often dies at the end. Would this be another case of learning to love the main character only to see her die at the end? Given the movie premise, it was worth the risk. Similar to Eden, Netflix Oxygen is a powerful exploration of the intersection of hope and technology.
It is uncommon to see a French movie make it to the top charts of American audiences. Given our royal laziness, we tend to stay away from anything that has subtitles preferring more the glorified-theatrics-simplistic plots of Hollywood. The French are too sophisticated for that. For them, movies are not entertainment but an art form.
Realizing I had never watched a French Sci-Fi Thriller, maybe it was time to walk down that road. I am glad I did. The next day, I reflected on the movie’s plot after re-telling the whole story to my wife and my daughter. Following the instigating conversation that ensued, I realized there was enough material for an AI theology review.
Simple Plot of Human AI Partnership
You wake up and find yourself trapped in a capsule. You knock on the walls eventually activating an AI that informs you that you are in a cryogenic chamber. There is no way of knowing how you got there and how you can get out. You have 90 minutes before the oxygen runs out. The clock is ticking and you need to find a way to survive or simply accept your untimely death.
Slowly the main character played by Melanie Laurent, Elizabeth, discovers pieces and puzzles about who she is, why she is in the chamber and ultimately what options she has. This journey is punctuated by painful discoveries and a few close calls building the suspense through out the feature.
Her only companion throughout this ordeal is the chamber AI voice assistant, Milo. She converses, argues and pleads with him through out as she struggles to find a way to survive. The movie revolves around their unexpected partnership, as the AI is her only way to learn about her past and communicate with the outside world. The contrast between his calm monotone voice with her desperate cries further energize the movie’s dramatic effect.
In my view, the plot’s simple premise along with Melanie’s superb performance makes the movie work even as it stays centered on one life and one location the whole time.
Spoiler Alert: The next sections give away key parts of the plot.
AI Ethics, Cryogenics and Space Travel
Oxygen is the type of film that you wake up the next day thinking about it. That is, the impact is not clearly felt until later. There is so much to process that its meaning does not become clear right away. The viewer is so involved in the main character’s ordeal that you don’t have time to reflect on the major ethical, philosophical and theological issues that emerge in the story.
For example, once Elizabeth wakes up, one of the first things Milo offers her is sedatives. She refuses, preferring to be alert in her struggle for survival rather than calmly accepting her slow death. In one of the most dramatic scenes of the movie, Milo follows protocol to euthanize her as she is reaching the end of her oxygen supply. In an ironic twist that Elizabeth picks up on: the AI asks her permission for sedatives but does not consult her about the ultimate decision to end her life. While a work of fiction, this may very well be sign of things to come, as assisted suicide becomes legal in many parts of the world. Is it assisted-suicide of humane end-of-life care?
In an interesting combination, Oxygen portrays cryogenics, cloning and space travel as the ultimate solution for human survival. As humanity faced a growing host of incurable diseases they send a spaceship with thousands of clones in cryogenic chambers to find the cure in another planet. Elizabeth, as she learns mid-way, is a clone of a famous cryogenics scientist carrying her memories and DNA. This certainly raises interesting questions about the singularity of the human soul. Can it really transfer to clones or are they altogether different beings? Is memory and DNA the totality of our beings or are there transcending parts impossible to replicate in a lab?
In the end, human ingenuity prevails. Through a series of discoveries, Liz finds a way to survive. It entails asking Milo to transfer the oxygen from other cryogenic chambers into hers. Her untimely awakening was the result of an asteroid collision that affected a number of other chambers. After ensuring there were no other survivors in these damaged chambers, she asks for the oxygen transfer.
To my surprise, the movie turns out to be a colossal affirmation of life. Where the flourishing of life is, there is also theology. While having no religious content, the story shows how the love for self and others can lead us to fight for life. Liz learns that her husband’s clone is in the spaceship which gives her a reason to go on. This stays true even after she learns she herself is a clone and in effect have never met or lived with him. The memory of their life together is enough to propel her forward, overcoming insurmountable odds to stay alive.
The story also illustrates the power of augmentation, how humans enabled through technology can find innovative solutions that extend life. In that sense, the movie aligns with a Christian Transhumanist view – one that sees humans co-creating hopeful futures with the divine.
Even if God is not present explicitly, the divine seems to whisper through Milo’s reassuring voice.
Recently, my 11 year-old daughter told me she wanted to watch animes. I have watched a few and was a bit concerned about her request. While I have come to really appreciate this art form, I feared that some thematic elements would not be appropriate to her 11 year-old mind. Yet, after watching the first episode of Netflix Eden, my concerns were appeased and I invited my two oldest (11 and 9) to watch it with me. With only 4 episodes of 25 minutes each, the series make it for a great way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, beyond being suitable there was enough that for me to reflect on. In fact, captivating characters and an enchanting soundtrack moved me to tears making Netflix Eden a delightful exploration of human frailty.
Here is my review of this heart-warming, beautifully written story.
Official Trailer
A Simple but Compelling Plot
Without giving a way much, the story revolves around a simple structure. From the onset we learn that no human have lived on earth for 1,000 years. Self-sufficient robots successfully turned a polluted wasteland into a lush oasis. The first scenes show groups of robots tending and harvesting an apple orchard.
Two of these robots stumble into an unlikely finding: a human child. Preserved in a cryogenic capsule, the toddler stumbles out and wails. The robots are confused and helpless as to how to respond. They quickly identify her as a human bio-form but cannot comprehend what her crying means.
After the initial shock, the toddler turns to the robots and calls them “papa” and “mama” kicking off the story. The plot develops around the idea of two robots raising a human child in a human-less planet earth. We also learn that humans are perceived as a threat and to be surrendered to the authorities. In spite of their programming, the robots choose to hide and protect the girl.
Are Humans Essential for Life to Flourish on Earth?
Even with only 4 episodes, the anime packs quite a philosophical punch. From a theological perspective, the careful observer quickly sees why the show is named after the Biblical garden. It is an illusion to the Genesis’ story where life begins on earth yet it includes with a twist. Now Eden is lush and thriving without human interference. It is as if God is recreating earth through technological means. This echoes Francis Bacon’s vision of technology as a way to mitigate the destructive effects of the fall.
Later we learn the planet had become uninhabitable. The robot creators envisioned a solution that entailed freezing cryogenically a number of humans while the robots worked to restore earth back to its previous glory. The plan apparently works except for the wrinkle of this girl waking up before her assigned time. Just like in the original story of Eden, humans come to mess it up.
Embedded in this narrative is the provocative question of human ultimate utility for life in the planet. After all, if machines are able to manage the earth flawlessly, why introduce human error? Of course, the flip side of the question is the belief that machines in themselves are free of error. Putting that aside, the question is still valid.
Photo by Alesia Kazantceva on Unsplash
Human Frailty and Renewal
Watching the story unfold, I could not help but reflect on Dr. Dorabantu’s past post on how AI would help us see the image of God in our vulnerability. That is, learning that robots could surpass us in rationality, we would have to attribute our uniqueness not to a narrow view of intelligence but our ability to love. The anime seems to be getting at the heart of this question and it gets there by using AI. It is in the Robot’s journey to understand human’s essence that we learn about what makes us unique in creation. In this way, the robots become the mirrors that reflect our image back to us.
Another parallel here is with the biblical story of Noah. In a world destroyed by pollution and revived through technological ingenuity, the ark is no longer a boat but a capsule. Humans are preserved by pausing the aging process in their bodies, a clear nod to Transhumanism. The combination of cryogenics and advanced AI can preseve human life on earth albeit for a limited number of humans.
I left the story feeling grateful for our imperfect humanity. It is unfortunate that Christian theology in an effort to paint a perfect God have in turn made human vulnerability seem undesirable. Without denying our potential for harm and destruction, namely our sinfulness, it is time Christian theology embraces and celebrate human vulnerability as part of our Imago Dei. This way, Netflix Eden, helps put human frailty back in the conversation.
In the previous blog, we discussed how Klara, the AI and the main character of Kazuo Ishiguro’s latest novel, develops a religious devotion to the Sun. In the second and final installment of this book review, I explore how Klara impacts the people around her. Klara and the Sun, shows how they become better humans for interacting with her in a dystopian world.
Photo by Randy Jacob on Unsplash
Gene Inequality
Because humans are only supporting characters in this novel, we only learn about their world later in the book. The author does not give out a year but places that story in a near future. Society is sharply divided along with class and racial lines. Gene editing has become a reality and now parents can opt to have children born with the traits that will help them succeed in life.
This stark choice does not only affect the family’s fate but re-orients the way society allocates opportunities. Colleges no longer accept average kids meaning that a natural birth path puts a child at a disadvantage. Yet, this choice comes at a cost. Experimenting with genes also means a higher mortality rate for children and adolescents. That is the case for the family that purchases Klara, they have lost their first daughter and now their second one is sick.
These gene-edited children receive special education in their home remotely by specialized tutors. This turned out to be an ironic trait in a pandemic year where most children in the world learned through Zoom. They socialize through prearranged gatherings in homes. Those that are well-to-do live in gated communities, supposedly because the world had become unsafe. This is just one of the many aspects of the dystopian world of Klara and the Sun.
Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash
AI Companionship and Remembrance
A secondary plot-line in the novel is the relationship between the teenage Josie, Klara’s owner, and her friend Rick who is not gene-edited. The teens are coming of age in this tumultuous period where the viability of their relationship is in question. The adults discuss whether they should even be together in a society that delineates separate paths assigned at birth. One has a safe passage into college and stable jobs while the other is shut out from opportunity by the sheer fact their parents did not interfere with nature.
In this world, droids are common companions to wealthy children. Since many don’t go to school anymore, the droid plays the role of nanny, friend, guardian, and at times tutor. Even so, there is resistance to them in the public square where resentful segments of society see their presence with contempt. They represent a symbol of status for the affluent and a menace to the working class. Even so, their owners often treat them as merchandise. At best they were seen as servants and at worse as disposable toys that could be tossed around for amusement.
The novel also hints at the use of AI to extend the life of loved ones. AI remembrance, shall we say. That is, programming AI droids to take the place of a diseased human. This seems like a natural complement in a world where parents have no guarantee that their gene-edited children will live to adulthood. For some, the AI companion could live out the years their children were denied.
Klara The Therapist
In the world described above, the AF (artificial friend) plays a pivotal role in family life not just for the children that they accompany but also for the parents. In effect, because of her robotic impartiality, Klara serves as a safe confidant to Josie, Rick, her mother, and her dad. The novel includes intimate one-on-one conversations where Klara offers a fresh take on their troubles. Her gentle and unpretentious perspective prods them to do what is right even when it is hard. In this way, she also plays a moral role, reminding humans of their best instincts.
Yet, humans are not the only ones impacted. Klara also grows and matures through her interaction with them. Navigating the tensions, joys, and sorrows of human relationships, she uncovers the many layers of human emotion. Though lacking tear ducts and a beating heart, she is not a prisoner to detached rationality. She suffers with the pain of the humans around her, she cares deeply about their well-being and she is willing to sacrifice her own future to ensure they have one. In short, she is programmed to serve them not as a dutiful pet but as a caring friend. In doing so, she embodies the best of human empathy.
The reader joins Klara in her path to maturity and it is a delightful ride. As she observes and learns about the people around her, the human readers get a mirror to themselves. We see our struggles, our pettiness, our hopes and expectations reflected in this rich story. For the ones that read with an open heart, the book also offers an opportunity for transformation and growth.
Final Reflections
In an insightful series of 4 blogs, Dr. Dorabantu argues that future general AI will be hyper-rational forcing us to re-imagine the essence of who we are. Yet, Ishiguro presents an alternative hypothesis. What if instead, AI technology led to the development of empathetic servant companions? Could a machine express both rational and emotional intelligence?
Emotionally intelligent AI would help us redefine the image of God not by contrast but by reinforcement. That is, instead of simply demonstrating our limitations in rationality it could expand our potential for empathy. The novel shows how AI can act as a therapist or spiritual guide. Through empathetic dialogue, they can help us find the best of our moral senses. In short, it can help us love better.
Finally, the book raises important ethical questions about gene editing’s promises and dangers. What would it look like to live in a world where “designer babies” are commonplace? Could gene-editing combining with AI lead to the harrowing scenario where droids serve as complete replacements for humans? While Ishuguro’s future is fictitious, he speculates on technologies that already exist now. Gene editing and narrow AI are a reality while General AI is plausibly within reach.
We do well to seriously consider their impact before a small group in Silicon Valley decides how to maximize profit from them. This may be the greatest lesson we can take from Klara and the Sun and its dystopian world.
In his first novel since winning the Nobel prize of literature, Kazuo Ishiguro explores the world through the lens of an AI droid. The novel retains many of the features that made him famous for previous bestsellers such as concentrating in confined spaces, building up emotional tension, and fragmented story-telling. All of this gains a fresh relevance when applied to the Sci-Fi genre and more specifically to the relationship between humanity and sentient technology. I’ll do my best to keep you from any spoilers as I suspect this will become a motion picture in the near future. Suffice it to say that Klara and the Sunis a compelling statement for robotic faith. How? Read on.
Introducing the Artificial Friend
Structured into 6 long sections, the book starts by introducing us to Klara. She is an AF (Artificial Friend), a humanoid equipped with Artificial Intelligence and designed commercially to be a human companion. At least, this is what we can deduce from the first pages as no clear explanation is given. In fact, this is a key trait in the story: we learn about the world along with Klara. She is the one and only narrator throughout the novel.
Klara is shaped like a short woman with brown hair. The story starts in the store where she is on display for sale. There she interacts with customers, other AFs, and “Manager”, the human responsible for the store. All humans are referred to by their capitalized job or function. Otherwise, they are classified by their appearance or something peculiar to them.
The first 70 pages occur inside the store where she is on display. We learn about her personality, the fact that she is very observant, and what peer AFs think of her. At times, she is placed near the front window of the store. That is when we get a glimpse of the outside world. This is probably where Ishiguro’s brilliance shines through as he carefully creates a worldview so unique, compelling, humane but in many ways also true to a robotic personality. The reader slowly grows fond of her as she immerses us in her whimsical perspective of the outside world. To her, a busy city street is a rich mixture of sights with details we most often take for granted.
We also get to learn how Klara processes emotions and even has a will of her own. At times she mentions feeling fear. She is also very sensitive to conflict, trying to avoid it at all costs. With that said, she is no push over. Once she sabotages a customer attempt to buy her because she had committed herself to another prospect. She also seems to stand out compared to the other AFs instilling both contempt and admiration from them.
Book cover from Amazon.com
The World Through Klara’s Eyes
She is sensitive, captivating and always curious. Her observations are unique and honest. She brings together an innocence of a child with the mathematical ability of a scientist. This often leads to some quirky observations as she watches the world unfold in front of her. In one instance, she describes a woman as “food-blender-shaped.”
Klara also has an acute ability to detect complex emotions in faces. In this way, she is able to peer through the crevices of the body and see the soul. In one instance, she spots how a child is both smiling at her AF while her eyes portray anger. When observing a fight, she could see the intensity of anger in the men’s faces describing them as horrid shapes as if they were no longer human. When seeing a couple embrace, she captures both the joy and the pain of that moment and struggles to understand how it could be so.
This uncanny ability to read human emotion becomes crucial when Klara settles in her permanent home. Being a quiet observer, she is able understand the subtle unspoken dynamics that happen in family relationships. In some instances, she could see the love between mother and daughter even as they argued vehemently. She could see through the housekeeper’s hostility towards her not as a threat but as concern. In this way, her view of humans tended err on the side of charity rather than malice.
Though being a keen human observer, it is her relationship with the sun that drives the narrative forward. From the first pages, Klara notices the presence of sun rays in most situations. She will usually start her description of an image by emphasizing how the sun rays were entering a room. We quickly learned that the sun is her main source of energy and nourishment. Hence it is not surprising that its looms so large in her worldview.
Yet, Ishiguro’s takes this relationship further. Similar to ancient humans, Klara develops a religious-like devotion to the sun. The star is not only her source of nourishment but becomes a source of meaning and a god-like figure that she looks to when in fear or in doubt.
That is when the novel gets theologically interesting.
Robotic Faith and Hope
As the title suggests, the sun plays a central role in Klara’s universe. This is true not only physiologically as she runs on solar energy, but also a spiritual role. This nods towards a religious relationship that starts through observation. Already understanding the power of the sun to give her energy, she witnesses how the sun restores a beggar and his dog back to health. Witnessing this event become Klara’s epiphany of the healing powers of the sun. She holds that memory dear and it becomes an anchor of hope for her later in the book when she realizes that her owner is seriously ill.
Klara develops a deep devotion toward the sun and like the ancients, she starts praying to it. The narrative moves forward when Klara experiences theophanies worthy of human awe. Her pure faith is so compelling that the reader cannot help but hope along with her that what she believes is true. In this way, Klara points us back to the numinous.
Her innocent and captivating faith has an impact in the human characters of the novel. For some reason, they start hoping for the best even as there is no reason to do so. In spite of overwhelming odds, they start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Some of them willingly participate, in this case the men in the novel, in her religious rites without understanding the rationale behind her actions. Yet, unlike human believers who often like to proselytize, she keeps her faith secret from all. In fact, secrecy is part of her religious relationship with the sun. In this way, she invites humans to transcend their reason and step into a child-like faith.
This reminds me of a previous blog where I explore this idea of pure faith and robots . But I digress.
Conclusion
I hope the first part of this review sparks your interest in reading this novel. It beautifully explores how AI can help us find faith again. Certainly, we are still decades away from the kind of AI that Ishiguro’s portrays in this book. Yet, like most works of Science Fiction, they help us extrapolate present directions so we can reflect on our future possibilities.
Contrasting to the dominant narrative of “robot trying to kill us”, the author opts for one that highlights the possibility that they can reflect the best in us. As they do so, they can change us into better human beings rather than allowing us to devolve into our worse vices. Consequently, Ishiguro gives us a vivid picture of how technology can work towards human flourishing.
In the next blog, I will explore the human world in which Klara lives. There are some interesting warnings and rich reflection in the dystopian situation described in the book. While our exposure to it is limited, maybe this is one part I wish the author had expanded a bit more, we do get enough ponder about the impact of emerging technologies in our society. This is especially salient for a digital native generation who is learning to send tweets before they give their first kiss.
I was looking forward to this conference for months. It was my only opportunity in the year to get together with friends that I interact online throughout the year. The line up of speakers was impressive. There were academics, activists, engineers, theologians, pastors and entrepreneurs which made it for a fairly unique event destined to spark engaging dialogue and stretch us into uncomfortable spaces.
In the opening, Micah Redding, Christian Transhumanist Association (CTA) president and founder mentioned that if the conference did no make you uncomfortable then it was not doing its job. This was not a place for cozy group think. In eyes of many, Christianity and Transhumanism make for strange bedfellows. Furthermore, mixing religion, science and technology is still a novel concept. As an emerging organization, CTA is still defining its own identity in an environment where many are too willing to dismiss it as an oxymoron. On the one hand, Science and Technology are weary of religious talk getting into their business. Religious people, on the other hand, get very uncomfortable with movements that exalt a changing humanity.
Entering a new world
Conference main speakers: Science Mike, Liz Parish, Cheryle Renee Moses and Jim Stump
The morning kicked off with Bio Logos VP, Jim Stump. He offered preliminary thoughts on how to engage Transhumanism from a Christian perspective. In his view, the jury was still out on the movement and its impact. With that said, instead of fearful rejection, he proposed active engagement. In other words, it was an opportunity to enter the conversation as disciples of Christ with humility, caution and openness.
This was a fitting introduction as the speakers that followed exemplified that engagement. They offered a Christian cultural critique that was not limited to Transhumanism but expanded into digital cultures, AI and the Internet. It is hard to summarize here all the great points made throughout these presentations. I hope that CTA posts the presentations so those interested can browse through them.
One speaker that stood out was Liz Parish. Liz was patient zero in genetic modification treatment. She underwent this unprecedented procedure in 2015 and since then has stayed involved in the longevity and human enhancement movement as an entrepreneur. Her company, BioViva, seeks to find safe ways to expand to make genetic intervention more affordable. Watching her presentation gave mixed feelings of awe, hope and fear. It reminded me that we were entering a new world, one full of possibilities but with no shortage of dangers. Messing with our genes is not something I am comfortable with. Yet, what if that is the way for the cure of many terminal diseases? Don’t we owe ourselves to at least try? Liz Parish’s life and work challenged us all to re-think our pre-conceived answers to these questions.
Learning Solidarity
Right before lunch, I received a text from Micah. I was scheduled to speak in the afternoon right before a panel on future and equity. My presentation explored how the movie Black Panther, as a prime example of Afro-Futurism, represented a hopeful, original and promising vision for the future. In the text, Micah informed me that Cheryle Renee Moses, an African-American activist and one of the key speakers in the event objected to the title of my presentation “Dreaming Alternative Futures with Black Panther.” The plan was to sit down at lunch to discuss her concerns.
In our conversation, Cheryle expressed that she had reservations with the fact that I, a Euro-Brazilian was speaking about a story that belonged to Africans. She was also offended at the word “dreaming” for it reminded her of how slave owners have used that word to keep slaves from asserting their humanity. To be more specific, she was referring to how Christianity was used to tell slaves to simply hope for a better future after death rather than fight for freedom. It reminded her, I write this with tears in my eyes, of how the gospel was used, and in some cases continues to be used for social control and racial subjugation.
There was no choice other than to pull the presentation from the program and to extend the following forum on future and equities. From a personal level this was a difficult decision. I had poured hours into that presentation and thought that it would actually connect a mostly white and male audience with a beautiful African vision of the future. Yet, there was something happening here much bigger than that. If we were to be serious about equitable futures, we could not ignore Cheryle’s concern. As an activist, she was speaking for the margins in a way that none of us could. Her voice at that moment was more important than anything I had to say.
Photo by Mike Morrell – Elias Kruger, Cheryle Renee Moses and Micah Redding
In the forum, Cheryle reminded us of the uncomfortable truths about racism and how this continues to impact even the conversations we were having about technology, faith and the future. She challenged the audience to expand their networks to ensure they were hearing perspectives from diverse voices. For a room full of white men, still the vast majority involved in the conversation, the awkwardness was palpable. It was an unplanned, uncomfortable, awkward moment that was sorely needed.
A few days later, after reflecting on this experience, it dawned on me that I never apologized or expressed sympathy for the hurtful reality that Cheryle was bringing forth. Thankfully, I was able to call her this week and express my heartfelt sorrow for this painful heritage that we often want to forget rather than make it right. Cheryle graciously accepted my apologies and thanked me for reaching out. I also asked her to review this text to ensure I was not working under short-sighted assumptions in my writing. Part of building equitable futures is learning to listen to diverse voices and feel their pain.
It is only in solidarity that we can move forward.
Fruitful Conversations
Like most conferences, great dialogue happens in the breakout sessions. In an age of on-demand streaming, one can watch great speakers at the tip of their fingers. What is rare and even more valuable is good old face-to-face conversations. We were a small but high caliber group. Among attendants there were scientists, theologians, college students, professors, pastors and a good share of technology enthusiasts. The conference offered two opportunities for break out conversations with a broad range of topics.
Photo by Seth Cartwright
In the first one, I attended a break out on “AI and the impact on the local church.” Not surprisingly the topic attracted its share of ministry-oriented folks. It did not take long, about 5 minutes to be precise, for our conversation to veer into sex-bots. That’s what happens when pastors discuss AI, we joked . Beyond that, we had fruitful discussions on the differences between narrow and general AI, applications for ministry and the technology impact on social inclusion. Some reported the church’s reluctance to embrace new technologies. Others discussed the benefits and perils of taking virtual communion or conducting virtual baptism. Welcome to doing ministry in the 21st century.
In the second breakout, I joined a stimulating conversation on the future of Christian Transhumanism (XH+). We discussed the baggage Transhumanism carries and why many Christians are reluctant to join or be identified with the movement. There is also resistance from secular Transhumanism in accepting the legitimacy of a religious voice. We explored which audiences had the most to benefit from XH+ and found that it would fit well within a faith at work movement. At its best, the XH+ could help Christians boldly connect their faith with their vocations. Yet, our discussion left many unanswered questions. What is XH+? How does it fit the church ecosystem? What does it believe? These are questions the CTA will be engaging for years to come.
Unexpected Ending
Science Mike closed the night with a stimulating and at times entertaining presentation on technology, faith and Transhumanism. He brought up many valuable points. For one, he questioned the narrative that AI is overtaking humanity and computers would surpass human intelligence. Showing recent trends in computer performance, Mike bluntly put: “Electrons are getting tired of our shit!” In short, we are now finding limits in Moore’s law challenging the projections for machine super intelligence. He also questioned the possibility of brain uploading, cryonics and even whether life prolongation was desirable.
At points, he delivered heart-felt reflections on how one could live out a Christian faith in the midst of so much technological change. He affirmed the bodily shape of our humanity asserting that mind uploading was simply confusing people with brains on a stick. He also encouraged us to re-think our relationship with technology as a separate entity from nature. As an example, he said we should look at Manhattan as an island filled with human nests. In making these points, he offered some provocative insights to help us move forward in a time of great confusion.
Unfortunately, his talk ended in a very pessimistic tone. Mike was weary of Silicon Valley and American Christianity, claiming that both were built on a foundation of white supremacy. Because of that, he lost faith in them and instead was looking for ways to live a Christian life that resisted these forces. Hence, he saw little hope on technology or the church in effecting positive change in the world.
While partially agreeing with his assessment, I was disappointed that he could not also see the potential and opportunity for Christianity and technology in our time. That is what attracted me the XH+ in the first place. I saw it as an alternative to the prevailing luddite narrative that focuses on the negative impact of technology in the world. While he left a grave reminder of our current reality, he overlooked the potentiality of technology and faith. These issues are not mutually exclusive, we can dismantle oppressive systems while building an alternative equitable-techno-natural-spiritual future. In fact, accomplishing the first is only possible by pursuing the second.
I would like to hear more about this hopeful vision in the 2020 CTA conference.
This blog started with a dare. My father-in-law, a faithful reader of the blog, challenged me to write a post about my recent trip to New York I took with my wife. We were there for one night to watch the one and only US concert of the Brazilian band Sandy e Junior in the Barclay’s center. He wanted to see if I could tie that experience with theology or AI.
Daniel, challenge accepted! Let’s see how it goes.
That’s the look of excitement of spending 30 hours with no kids. This picture also clears up who married up. I am a lucky man!
Our trip really started in the Atlanta airport. Arriving with plenty of time, enjoying a kid-free trip, we decided to walk to the concourse rather than catching the train. It made for a pleasant 25 minutes walk, helping us reach and surpass the 10K steps goal for the day. Not only that but we also greatly enjoyed an exposition on African art and learned about the history of Atlanta. It is very well done and a great way to pass time while waiting for a flight. Next time you are stranded in the Atlanta airport, I highly recommend it.
After less than two hours of flight we saw this in our window and knew we were close. Even with all the smog, NY still boasts some stunning views. We have not been in the big apple for over 15 years and a lot has changed since then.
Picture of New York’s skyline from the plane.
A Brazilian Enclave in the Big Apple
After finding some exquisite cuisine for dinner in Brooklyn we headed to the arena. The walk there in the rain was an unexpected treat. It reminded us of a family tradition: dancing in the rain. This is something we started doing before we had kids and have passed on to them. Now every time it rains, our girls ask: can we go out there to dance? Nope, we did not dance in the crowded sidewalks and car congested streets of Brooklyn. However, getting soaking wet prior to the concert was the closest to it. It was a preparation for what was to come.
As we approached the arena, it felt like we were in another country. Just noticing the way people dressed and conducted themselves, we knew there were Brazilians all around us. You see, Brazil is fairly diverse country making it difficult to spot what the typical Brazilian looks like. However, you can often tell by subtle clues. For example, women will wear their purses crossing their shoulder instead on the side. We could also hear a lot of Portuguese being spoken around us. Before crossing the street, I man behind us warned in Portuguese to stay way from the puddle anticipating cars to splash unsuspecting pedestrians. Good reminder, that we heeded willingly though unnecessary since we were already soaked.
When we got inside we felt like we were in Brazil. Everybody was speaking Portuguese except for the stadium’s staff. It felt like we were going back to our adolescence. We both grew up in Brazil. I left as a teenager and Priscila when she married me. It also reminded us of the time we met, when I was 17 and she was 15 years old. A trip back in time to a distant but crucial moment in both of our lives.
Mandatory selfie with my beautiful wife in front of the venue. Notice that I still haven’t figured out where the camera is. One day I’ll learn!
An Unique Sister-Brother Duo
Sandy e Junior are quite unique artists in the Brazilian music scene. Children of a famous sertanejo (Brazilian country music) singer, they walked into the spotlight very early in life. Their first appearance was in 1989 at the tender age of 6 and 5. From then on, they enjoyed a successful career as a duo until 2007 when they parted ways. This concert marked their 30 year anniversary of their launch in ’89. It was a reunion tour which planed for a few concerts in Brazil but quickly expanded into an international tour. Though in their mid-30’s, they already boasted three decades of career and over 20 million albums sold – a rare feat for any Brazilian artist!
Picture of the Duo captured in the NY concert
Their longevity is not the only aspect that stands out. In an industry crowded by divas and big personalities, it is quite refreshing to see self-effacing, humble and authentic artists perform. They showed genuine gratitude and recognition for the fans efforts to be there and faced the opportunity to play in an international stage not as a right but as a responsibility. Both of them are still married to their first spouses and have kids. Yes, sometimes good guys and gals do become famous.
Their songs centered mostly on young love and heart break. Because they grew up doing this, their music reflects their different developmental stages. From kid’s crushes, painful teenage breakups to long-lasting friendship; it is all there in a pleasant mixture of songs to an overall pop sound. Sandy is the lead singer while Junior sings harmony and plays multiple instruments. The closest I comparison I could think would be if Taylor Swift teamed up with a Jonas brother.
The Power of a Shared Experience
As expected for this reunion show, the fan base was quite varied in age. Given their long career, you could see both those who have grown up with them as well as their children coming to the concert. I must confess I was a very late comer to their fandom. My wife was a fan from her teenage years in the 90’s while I scoffed at their association with sertanejo. It was an unfair prejudice that I regret. In our house now, Priscila had already made fans out of all our kids and I was the only hold out. After this concert that is no longer the case and I have the picture to prove it.
No turning back, a true fan for life.
Priscila’s passion for the duo rubbed on me. Often, I would turn to look at her face fully immersed into the music experience. It was like I had my teenager Priscila back, almost twenty years later after marriage and kids. Her genuine delight was contagious and captivating making me fall in love again.
She was not alone. We were surrounded by committed fans who stood up and sang along for the whole two hours plus of concert time. Looking at their faces you could see memories of crushes, heart breaks and kids play all coming back. It was as if that experience was transporting them to an earlier and simpler time, a precious memory from their younger years.
The fact that it was in the US made the experience all the more memorable. Many of them, like us, have left their childhood place along with friends and family. They now live in a country where they were no longer sure they were welcome. Many carry the toll of the lonely immigrant life punctuated by hard work and isolation. All of that was forgotten for two hours while they sang their memories at the top of their lungs. The last song invited the whole arena to jump. Twenty thousand fans (including myself) gladly obliged bouncing our sorrows away.
Theology, AI, anything?
There was nothing about AI in that night. After all, I do have other interests in my life and don’t walk around only thinking about how the world relates to AI! Yet, there was ample opportunity for theological reflection. I could talk about the fact that music has the power to transport us into other dimensions in time and space. I could also speak of the nostalgia, the struggle of the immigrant life and the never-ending pervasiveness of love. You see, to me all of this is part of theology.
I am recently reflecting on a theology that embraces the world. I have recognized that my Christian formation, unfortunately, have often led me to despise the world around me and minimize experiences that were outside of religious contexts. Because of that, I was grateful to be part of this intoxicatingly human experience. It left me enriched by having my horizons opened and a bit convicted by my past prejudice. I also felt closer to my wife, the very relationship that continues to teach me most about God.
Learning to embrace the world reminds me that God does not sit “out there” in a “separate” infinite world but pours through in the richness of human experience, in the materiality of this earth, in joy, pain and sorrow.
Six years ago, my dad and I set on a cross-country road trip from North Carolina to California. No, this was not a vacation but my way to move our stuff to Pasadena. We rented a Penske truck, towed one of our cars, had the dogs with us and drove across the country while my wife flew with the kids to LA. In the third day or our trip, we reached New Mexico in the morning and I was struck by its natural beauty. Blue skies, dry heat and beautiful arid vegetation invited me in. It was then I decided I had to come back for a visit one day. A month ago, I made that happen organizing a 40 year-old birthday trip with my unsuspecting brother. Unlike the first time, I was determined to spend 5 days exploring its natural beauties and its rich multi-cultural history.
Soon it became clear the trip offered many opportunities for reflection and writing. The themes of technology, culture, nature and humanity popped up all throughout which led me to this series of blogs. Reflecting on compelling experiences often ends up as blog material. Here is my first installment reflecting on this epic trip.
Ancient Writings
In our first full day in Albuquerque, we decided to visit the Petroglyphs National Monument. This national park offered not only an opportunity to hike in the beautiful New Mexico landscape but also a way to connect with pre-Columbus American history. The canyons boasted a rich array of petroglyphs (artistic carvings on rocks) that were between 400 to 700 years old. Centuries of erosion and exposure to the elements was not enough to erase these early manifestations of human creativity.
A small sample of the many petroglyphs found in the park.
The carvings ranged from people, animals to abstract symbols. Some were faint while others were very clear. From the information provided in the park, no one knows for sure why these carvings were made. They were made both by Native American and early Spanish settlers and represent the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the region.
To think that their imprints have persevered in the rocks for centuries is mind-boggling. I wonder about what I could do today that would remain intact for even 50 years! With all our technology and tools at our disposals, are we still capable of leaving a noticeable imprint in nature that could last centuries? It also made me wonder what inspired them to carve. Was it religious, artistic or did it serve another purpose? Some sampling of the thoughts that went through my mind as we battled 90 degree sun in our heads to walk through the trails and climb up the rocks.
The Cloud that Changed the World
As the clock reached noon, it was time to find an AC respite from the sun. I didn’t want to acquire burns from exposure and ruin the rest of the trip. After a short but restful lunch it was time to go to the next destination. Knowing that the heat made anything outside unbearable we opted for going to a museum. From Breaking Bad scenes and previous research I knew that Albuquerque housed the Museum of Nuclear Science and History. A fitting geographical location as Los Alamos, a few miles up north, was the testing ground for the Manhattan Project.
Standing in front of the museum
Museum of Nuclear Science and History is one of the few national museums outside of DC. It boasts an impressive collection of artifacts tracing the history of the development of Nuclear technology. A lot of it centers on the development of the nuclear bomb that not only ended World War II but also changed our relationships with technology permanently.
Re-visiting this complex history evokes a range of mixed emotions. On the one side there is a sense of awe and admiration. It is mind-boggling to comprehend the effort, coordination, resources, secrecy that it took for the Manhattan project to succeed. Similar to the moon landing effort decades later, this is another testament to this nation’s ability to take on monumental tasks. Yet, all of this dissipates when we consider the horrifying destruction left by the nuclear bomb.
From a military strategic perspective, the bomb was meant to actually save lives. Given dogged Japanese resistance, the Allied forces anticipated that only a long and bloody invasion would bring the war to a conclusion. Some estimates put the cost of lives in the millions for both sides. The solution, in their view, was to deliver a humiliating and devastating blow that would convince the Japanese emperor to re-think his resistance. Two bombs, and close to 150,000 lives decimated later, their strategy worked. Yet, the cost would far surpass the direct casualties from the bomb.
In the section portraying the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki I was struck by a harrowing reminder. Of all the pictures shown, the image of an incinerated kid’s tricycle shocked me. I thought of my own children and the pain it would be to have their lives cut short in such a tender age. Yes, the project was a tremendous feat but it was also a destructive curse. In spite of its justification, the bomb crossed an unprecedented line for humanity.
The advent of the atomic age removed a sense a security from all of us. It is as if we realized we now had the power to annihilate all human life in a matter of seconds. This fear transcended national, ethnical and racial loyalties. This new discovery threatened all life in the planet.
In the exposition we learned that scientists working on the project made a final plea for an alternative option. Instead of dropping it in a city, they begged the military to run a demonstration of the bomb’s power in an unpopulated area as a final warning to the Japanese. Military leaders disagreed and convinced the president that the war effort needed a more forceful action than a demonstration. Let history be the judge of their ultimate decision.
Technological Blessing and Curse
The loss of innocence that came with the atomic experience reverberated in many levels. Till this day, the mushroom cloud symbolizes the destructive side of technology. Yet, even seventy years later, another nuclear bomb has not been deployed in an armed conflict. While a few nations continue to pursue it as a way to shore up their position in the geopolitical theater, thankfully, no deadly detonations have followed. Paradoxically, the horror of the first bombing led to restraint and possibly kept a cold war between two super powers from becoming hot in the 20th century.
How can we use the legacy of the nuclear bomb as a way to re-think our relationship with technology? On the one hand, it reminds us that the development of any technology should never be divorced from rigorous ethical deliberation. One could say that the nature of a global conflict like World War II did not lend itself to such activity. That may be so, but I do wonder how different history would have been have the President listened to the scientists’ plea for a demonstration. Would the threat of grave destruction be enough or was the actual deployment necessary?
On the other hand, harnessing energy out of atoms was a major scientific break through. In an age where we worry about global warming, nuclear energy continues to be a rather clean way to produce electricity. I wonder whether we would be more open to building nuclear plants had it not been tainted by its association with the bomb. That is, sometimes because of fear we may lose opportunities to harness technology for the good.
As we enter in an age where AI is now becoming a deciding factor in our future, I hope we listen to the lessons from the history of nuclear science. Let us approach it with rigorous ethical reflection but also aware of our blinding fears. While the first is essential the latter can greatly reduce the opportunity for flourishing. And that, in itself, would be a great loss.
Sitting on a long flight from Atlanta to San Francisco and after exhausting my reading options, I browsed the screen for a movie. This was a 4.5 hours flight and the range of choices was wide. Eventually I settled on a 80 minute documentary Cielo about the sky in the Atacama desert in Chile. The image below and the premise of being a “love poem” to the sky intrigued me enough to pick it among a myriad of options. I was ready for some calm contemplation in the beginning of what I expected to be an intense work week in San Francisco. The film turned out to be cinematographic feast for the eye. Ironically, as I traversed the sky, I was also learning to marvel at it from a different vantage point.
Desert-Sky Connection
I have had a long lasting fascination for deserts. Ever since my first visit to California in 2008, I have been drawn to these arid landscapes. There is something inviting in their barren and rugged terrain. Almost like an invitation to search for its hidden beauty not as easily accessible as in places like the beach or a forest. It is also an invitation to interiority, hence why spiritual seekers for ages have found wisdom and meaning in these desolate places.
Even so, my first question when the film started was “why a film about the sky in the desert?” We often associate desert with desolate, hot, lifeless places. While this is true, deserts also have an abundance of clear skies and dry air making it greatly suitable for observatories. Furthermore, because deserts tend to repel rather than attract human settlements, this means less artificial light or radio interference to impair night sky viewing.
This desert, more specifically, had an even more direct connection to the sky. It turns out that that the Atacama desert is now being used to research how life could happen in Mars. Some of its dry areas look other-worldly, a remnant from another planet. Whether throught its sky or through its soil, the Atacama opens a gateway other worlds.
With all its beauty, the desert was only a supporting actor on the film. The main character was the sky. The documentary illustrated this well through sped-up views of the sky where you could see it move slowly. The overall visual effect was mesmerizing. It was both soothing and reassuring, putting me at ease against any flight jitter. The documentary would be incomplete without letting the viewer see the sky from the desert. While only a representation of the real experience, it was enough to express its beauty.
Diverse Points of Views
The film did a good job in showcasing a wide-range of perspectives on the sky as they are experienced by those who live in the Atacama. In one of the scenes, they interview a couple of algae collectors who offered a pristine view of the beauty of sky. On another part, Jorge Rojas a young algae collector told personal stories of supernatural apparitions in the desert at night. These views were contrasted by those of the Astrophysicists that work in the area. Nestor Espinoza, a planet hunter, shared on camera a song he had written inspired by his countless hours in the observatory.
In one of the most striking scenes of documentary, Roberto Garcia, a native storyteller dances in the desert as the sunsets expressing his people’s long-lasting relationship with the desert and its glorious sky. Later you see him telling ancient stories to a group of children, passing on to the next generation the wisdom of those who came before him.
The overall message is how the desert sky becomes an invitation to all, from the scientist to the day laborer. Whether it is dancing or analyzing a screen of the computer, the sky is an inexhaustible source of wonder, mysterious and awe-inspiring, regardless of personal background. It also reveals the myriad ways to respond to the sky’s invitation. Whether it is through careful painstaking analysis, artistic forms like dance or music or even as a source for meaning. These are just a few human ways to respond to the allure of the stars.
Undeniable Spiritual Connection
While the film featured native spirituality, one of the most poignant statements came from one of the Scientists. Astrophysicist Mercedes Lopez-Morales, reflected upon her experience working in the observatory and spending hours watching the sky. As she is re-telling her musings, she stops to express the sense of human frailty in a vast and old universe. In a age where we are so obsessed with ourselves, it is refreshing to be reminded of our smallness in contrast to deep space.
Beyond that, listening to Morales’ musings, I reflected on technology. While it is true that the Atacama is place of raw beauty away from civilization, it was interesting how technology could also be an ally in uncovering spiritual meaning. If it wasn’t for the advanced instruments the astrophysicists has at her disposal, she may not have arrived at those conclusions. The issue is not a nature versus technology conundrum but how to bring them together with a receptive perspective.
It reminds me of the Biblical saying of “those who have eyes to see let them see.” A receptive perspective is all it takes to find spiritual connection in God saturated world. A spiritual connection is available to all regardless of educational or cultural background and even religious belief.
An Invitation to Look up
Can we learn to look up or are destined to look down? My own journey recently has taken a surprising turn. While reflecting on theology, technology and humanity, I am finding myself more drawn towards space. It is not an explicit association at first but the more I think about, the more it makes sense. The movement goes from distraction to self-awareness, then from self-awareness to exteriority. In a noisy word, the first movement is when we take time to be quiet, put down our screens and move inwardly. There we are forced to face our fears, questions, doubts and anxieties.
Thankfully, the journey does not ends there. If all I did was learning to become more self-aware, this would be a gigantic exercise in self-centeredness. We would become an amalgamation of atomic beings too occupied with ourselves to care about what or who is around us. That is when the journey needs to lead to exteriority, to a place outside ourselves. This outward movement unveils our connection to other humans, to nature and eventually to the universe.
Christian theology should helps us re-connect with the sky again. In my native tongue of Portuguese, there is no difference between the words “sky” and “heaven.” Maybe there is profound a connection there in this word association. The notion of a supernatural heaven separate from the physical outer space has been overstated. Maybe instead of closing our eyes to pray, we should learn to pray with our eyes wide-open and our heads turned up to the sky.
Let sky be the catalyst that leads us to fall in love with this world again.
Have you ever imagined a place where technology and nature work in harmony for the flourishing of life? Somebody did. In a blog last year, I explored how the Black Panther represented a Decolonial African futurist vision. Today, inspired on a recent podcast I heard, I want to write about how this vision worked itself out in Wakanda’s Golden City.
Before, diving into Wakanda, let me first put a plug for the Technopolis Podcast from Citylab. It is on my short list of subscribed podcasts for a reason. It explores the intersection of technology in city planning in a thought provoking way. I recommend it to anyone looking for some meaty conversations on the topic.
Designing a Futuristic City
The Podcast recently had Hannah Beachler as a guest to discuss the work she did as a the production designer for the Black Panther movie. More specifically, she was there to discuss the meticulous work that went into designing, building and filming the Golden City – Wakanda’s capital. Just so you have an idea, Hanna put together a 500 page book for the production plan! As she described to the hosts, Hanna put in many hours studying, researching and speaking to experts in urban planning and sustainability.
Though this was mostly a background to the feature film, the production team asked serious design questions such as “How do people move in the city?”; “How can it incorporate technology while also respecting nature?”; “How can it portray the best of African culture from the present?” These poignant inquiries guided the creative process that led to a visual feast for the movie watcher.
The author sought inspiration from architecture, culture and futuristic thinking. Part of the challenge was creating a futuristic vision that happens in the present day. That is, the innovations showcased had to be recognizable and believable in what is available to us today since the story takes place in the present.
For example, one of the discussions were around having self-driving cars. In that debate, the importance of the bus driver in both African and African-American culture won out over techno-centric futuristic view. This kind of design thinking permeated throughout. Instead of flyinng cars, the Golden city had buses and trains. Instead of concrete jungle, the city had dirt roads with vegetation.
The vision was to portray technology not as an end in itself but as a complement to nature in service of people. Instead of destroy and replace mentality that often dominates city planning, the designer opted for how can existing structures evolve. Such direction balanced reverence for nature and tradition while also fostering ground-breaking innovations. For example, one of the sidewalks in the city harnessed foot traffic to power buildings. I would love to have one of those in my neighborhood!
From Creative Destruction to Evolution
The idea of evolving rather than replacing was a key insight from the conversation, especially as it relates to technology. One of the downsides of current technological innovation is its tendency to impose pre-conceived conditions for its flourishing. This is not limited to buildings but manifests itself especially in the many devices that currently proliferate globally.
For example, most electronics are built to be used in climatized rooms. Only now, with the emergence of smart phones and light laptops, this paradigm started to break. I rarely thought about this until I visited Brazil in May. Unlike here where all buildings are closed off, climatized enclosures, buildings in Brazil often lack AC or heat. Instead they keep its windows open 24/7. Hence, when I went to visit the IT team of the town’s university, I noticed they had to be enclosed in a special room with no windows that had AC running around the clock. In order to accommodate computers need for refrigeration, existing structures had to be completely retrofitted greatly increasing the cost and accessibility of computers in the town.
The idea of a technology that evolves challenges this pre-conceived notion. It starts by looking at what is currently available and then seeks to improve it for the flourishing of life. While respecting the environment, it also rejects luddite notions that all technology is destructive to nature. Instead it believes that technology can emerge from nature.
The picture that encapsulates this well is the idea of hover buses on top of dirt roads as portrayed in the golden city. You have a high-tech form of mobility moving across natural paths that can absorb water, grow beautiful vegetation while still serving as roads. This is a great example for a vision of life-affirming, environmentally conscious and cultural sensitive technology. A futuristic vision we can all adopt for our time.
Lessons from Wakanda for AI
As I reflect on this podcast, I consider ways in which AI can enable such evolution mentality when building innovation. One of the greatest strengths of AI system is its ability to learn from data. As our capability to capture, aggregate and process data improves with the advent of IOT (Internet of Things), AI systems can be a key tool in the planning for the future of cities, communities and even whole regions.
Yet, the idea that AI systems as a silver bullet is rather false. That is, simply learning from data is not enough. For an evolution vision to take hold, what you need are visionary humans who can point these AI systems towards new paradigms. They need to guide the process of data collection, processing and learning. They should also steward well the optimization functions towards life-flourishing goals.
Hence, the main lesson Wakanda offers is not technological per say but cultural. Black Panther illustrates the power of culturally-informed futuristic dreaming. When a historically ostracized people group decides to dream an alternative future without forgetting its past, a beautiful result can emerge. In being faithful to their own culture, they offer a lesson to all cultures. The main point is not the technology but whose vision it reflects.
This only reinforces the need for further democratizing technical knowledge. Developing technology cannot remain the job of a select few but belongs to all humanity. As we work to remove the barriers of entry we also foster innovation by bringing new voices to the table. May the Golden City be the first of many examples of a life-affirming, culturally sensitive, environmentally enhancing technological dream.
