Rethinking Human Agency in the Age of AI

AI is often framed as a question of intelligence, automation, or job replacement. But what if the more important question is who is really in control?

This session explores emerging ways AI is reshaping work, power, and human agency — drawing on ideas from technology critic Cory Doctorow and current debates around the so-called “AI bubble.”

Rather than focusing on technical details or speculative futures, we’ll look at how AI systems are already influencing decision-making, accountability, and leadership in subtle but profound ways — and why this matters for designers, technologists, and anyone shaping systems that affect people’s lives.

The conversation will also introduce regenerative leadership as a response to extractive technology models, and invite reflection on what responsible design could look like as AI becomes more embedded in everyday work.
This is not a technical deep dive, a product demo, or an AI hype session.
It’s an invitation to pause, reflect, and rethink our role in shaping AI-mediated futures.