Debate at Ateneo: “Artificial Intelligence, Dignity and Reality: What Does It Mean to Design the Future?
activeThis project consists of organizing a public debate forum at the Ateneo de Madrid in May–June 2026, dedicated to reflecting on the societal, ethical, and anthropological implications of Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with Nyakern Nexus Research Institute. The event is conceived as a civic and cultural gathering, consistent with the Ateneo’s tradition of humanist and critical inquiry. Rather than approaching AI as a purely technical or regulatory issue, the debate situates technological development within broader questions of intelligence, responsibility, and human dignity. Technological acceleration is not only transforming labor markets, governance, and economic systems. It is also reshaping our understanding of autonomy, agency, and the limits of technical systems. In this context, the event seeks to open a space for interdisciplinary reflection that does not reduce intelligence to computation nor reality to data.
The central questions guiding the debate include:
- What do we mean by “intelligence” when we refer to artificial systems?
- Can responsibility be delegated to algorithms?
- What does human dignity mean in an increasingly automated environment?
- How can we avoid both technological determinism and simplistic rejection of innovation?
The debate will take place over one afternoon and follow a structure typical of Ateneo events, including roundtables, moderated dialogue, audience participation, and informal networking spaces.
The indicative program includes:
- Institutional opening
- Keynote introduction by Dr. Maria Elisabeth Nyåkern, founder of Nyakern Nexus Research Institute
- Roundtable 1: “Artificial Intelligence and the Human Condition: Transformation and Limits”
- Roundtable 2: “Dignity, Governance and a Shared Future”
- Closing synthesis and future outlook
Dr. Nyåkern’s interdisciplinary background, spanning biomedical research, AI governance, philosophical anthropology, and regulatory advisory roles at European and international levels, reinforces the intellectual depth and credibility of the event.
The initiative positions AImpacto Rotaract within a space that bridges technology, law, philosophy, business, and culture. It recognizes that debates about AI cannot remain confined to engineers or regulators, but must involve civil society, academia, policymakers, and citizens.
In a context where AI discourse is often polarized between technical enthusiasm and dystopian fear, this event promotes rigorous reflection without dogmatism and depth without technicism. Its aim is not to produce definitive answers, but to clarify the conceptual foundations from which technological decisions are made.
Tags