AI is changing society – how can we shape it?
The way we build and use AI is changing how we get information, talk to each other, and make decisions. We turn to AI for advice. We use it to create content and get work done. Businesses and public agencies are giving AI systems a growing role in their decisions. Who shapes what we believe? Who gets to decide? And who benefits?
Three to five perspectives. Ten minutes each. Then a shared panel discussion.
See the ticket shop for the current evening price. Included in Thursday and week passes.
How do we protect democratic debate, give everyone a stake in the future, and create economic opportunity as AI becomes part of everyday life?
This evening looks at what those changes could mean over the next few years — for democracy, for our relationships, and for how power, work, and wealth are distributed. We'll use real examples and grounded views of what may lie ahead to discuss what's changing, what we don't yet know, and what we can do now.
These are starting points for a conversation. We'll work with contributors to choose the focus, order, and depth of the discussion.
Trust, conversation, and democracy
Democracy relies on people being able to assess information, debate ideas, and make up their own minds.
What happens when AI shapes public debate and becomes something we turn to for personal advice? Who influences what we see and believe? How do we find sources we can trust and preserve our ability to think for ourselves?
Power, jobs, and prosperity
As we hand more work and decisions to AI, jobs and economic opportunities change.
Who gains power? Who becomes dependent on whom? Who shares in the rewards? What can businesses, policymakers, and the wider public do to make the benefits broadly available?
Who decides — and who gets a say?
Which decisions should we delegate to AI, and where do we need human judgment?
How can people challenge decisions that affect them? What skills and institutions will we need to strengthen so that people have a real say in these changes?
Short talks. A shared conversation.
- Three to five voices
- Ten minutes each to share a point of view, a concrete example or a research question.
- One shared panel
- The contributors then discuss their perspectives with each other and the audience: what is changing, where do they disagree, and what can we do?
- Time to connect
- Arrivals and networking from 6 p.m.; the evening ends at 9 p.m. Individual talk times will be announced.
Meet the voices in the conversation.
The first contributors are on board. More speakers are joining; we’ll add names and talks as they are confirmed.
Research & society
University of Wuppertal
Prof. Tobias Meisen or a member of his team
How people make AI part of everyday life and help shape its use. The team will take part; the speaker and their contribution will be announced.
About Tobias Meisen ↗Organisations & change
Thomas Graf
The prototype works. Now what? Why AI success is not decided in code.
Technology and culture, automation and responsibility, productivity and trust: three tensions that decide AI transformation.
About the talk ↗Another contributor to be announced
HR Business Partner
Name and talk to be announced
An HR practitioner will join the conversation. We’ll share her name and details of her contribution soon.
More speakers to come
More perspectives
The line-up is growing
We’re adding more speakers and topics: three to five short talks, followed by a panel with the contributors.
Who is it for?
People working in business, government, research, and civil society who can bring firsthand experience, a well-supported argument, or a thoughtful view of what's ahead.
STARTPLATZ Düsseldorf · Speditionstraße 15a · Medienhafen
The evening is included in day and week passes. Please register for the evening separately using your personal ticket link.