Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dan Podjed

Anthropologist Dan Podjed is a Senior Research Fellow at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (Institute of Slovenian Ethnology), an Associate Professor at the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Arts), and a Field Expert and Director’s Advisor at the Institute for Innovation and Development of the University of Ljubljana. In 2024, he published two books, both titled Crisolation. One is a scientific monograph that explores the emergence of a new condition in which ongoing crises intersect with various forms of isolation. The other is a dystopian novel that depicts a group of people living in a multi-apartment building, confined within four walls. AI plays an important role in both books.

Being human in the age of AI

What is the role of human values in the age of artificial intelligence? As AI increasingly shapes decision-making, will it erode fundamental human principles such as trust, respect, honesty, mutual aid, and kindness? Can AI take over complex decision-making and succeed where human intelligence – guided by these values – has struggled, particularly in addressing the global ‘tragedy of the commons’? In this talk, the speaker will explore the future of humanity, placing special emphasis on the kind in humankind. He will examine the evolving relationship between humans and synthetic intelligence, questioning what it means to be Homo sapiens in an era dominated by smart technologies. Will AI enable the rise of Homo deus, as envisioned by Yuval Noah Harari, or will it instead confine the new human – Homo insulatus – to a life of isolation within four walls and in front of screens?