Kay Firth-Butterfield - Shaping Our Future: Humans, AI, and the Next Frontier
Opening Keynote
In an expansive keynote, Kay Firth-Butterfield challenged the audience to think beyond current debates on AI regulation and operationalization. While acknowledging important strides such as the EU AI Act, she argued that the global conversation on AI must expand to fundamental questions: Who should “pilot the starship”? and What kind of future do we truly want?
The Need for a Broader Vision
Having spent the past decade advocating responsible AI strategies in businesses and policymaking, Firth-Butterfield now urges leaders and technologists to look past the immediate issues. She cautioned that the rapid progress in AI reflects not just new technological capabilities, but also the visions of a select few, often wealthy individuals—particularly in Silicon Valley. Using the historical case of the Panama Canal as an analogy, she illustrated how major projects can fail when driven by limited perspectives and overconfidence.
Human Values vs. Technological Change
Firth-Butterfield’s central question is whether we want a future of AI and humans or humans and AI. She underscored this with personal anecdotes, referencing her dog “Freddie” versus a robotic canine. Though the latter might be more convenient, it raises difficult questions about empathy, companionship, and genuine connection. Similar dilemmas arise in elder care, childcare, and healthcare: how much of our human experience do we want to hand over to AI systems?
Social Equity and AI Adoption
Despite claims of “democratizing” AI, Firth-Butterfield pointed to stark imbalances. Many AI tools are developed using data from only a narrow slice of the global population; meanwhile, billions of people remain disconnected from the internet. This lack of inclusivity also pertains to how AI influences labor markets. For example, the economic ripple effects of mass layoffs among higher-paid professions—such as financial analysts—merit deeper scrutiny.
Ethical Imperatives and Sustainability
The speaker drew attention to AI’s substantial resource consumption. Every ChatGPT query, for instance, requires a quarter-liter of water. Moreover, visions of AI solving climate change—such as those offered by prominent tech figures—may be overly optimistic, echoing the same “Panama Canal” logic. Firth-Butterfield also referenced her work with the Earth Species Project, using AI to decipher communication among whales—raising fresh ethical questions about who benefits and who might be harmed by these advancements.
A Call for Collective Action
Concluding with three core questions about how we want life to look in 10, 20, and 50 years, Firth-Butterfield argued that the debate must now move beyond legislation and toward the future of humanity itself. She suggested the possible creation of a new global body devoted to these conversations. Ultimately, she urged governments, companies, and communities to act swiftly and responsibly—not merely to regulate AI, but to define a shared vision of progress that keeps humans at the center of technological innovation.
