Humanity in the Age of AI
By Jaya Jiwatram
Head of Digital Campaigns, UN Department of Global Communications
What does it mean to be human? It’s a question I often ponder when my existence is dangling 35,000 feet up in the air.
At the AI for Good Summit in Geneva, I saw a person with ALS, no longer able to speak, have his thoughts narrated into his own voice through the combination of a non-invasive neural interface and Generative AI. As tears streamed down his cheeks, hope reverberated throughout the auditorium. I watched another individual, paralyzed from the neck down, produce art. Nearby, blindfolded volunteers tested “glasses” that detected surroundings in real-time, signaling when to move or stop—much like self-driving cars.
These moments solidified AI’s immense potential to benefit humanity. While AI and brain-computer interfaces have a long history, witnessing some of the latest applications up close made the future convergence of humans and machines all the more real.
“ Building AI responsibly may be our generation’s greatest test—not just of our technological and creative abilities but of our humanity.”
As AI becomes more intuitive and humanlike and we navigate the blurred boundaries between our natural and digital selves, it forces us to ask: what then distinguishes us from the technologies we create?
We’re at the brink of something larger than ourselves. In its horse and buggy era, AI is already challenging notions of creativity, decision-making and identity. It’s transforming industries and reshaping how we work, entertain and connect. And as advances in AI converge with AR, biotechnology and brain-computer interfaces, we face critical questions: How do we upskill and reskill workers? How do we connect billions still offline without deepening digital divides? How do we harness AI’s transformative possibilities while safeguarding our future?
Using AI For Good
Meanwhile, AI-driven misinformation is fragmenting our communities and trapping us in echo chambers, our modern-day Plato’s caves. Without ethical frameworks or regulation, we risk losing control.
To be human, I believe, is to connect, to have choice—with a deep sense of purpose. As creators, innovators, and investors in the digital industry, we stand at a defining crossroads. Building AI responsibly may be our generation’s greatest test—not just of our technological and creative abilities but of our humanity. We have the power to shape a future that benefits us all. How do you choose to do so?
Making Work in This Space? Submit It Into The Webby Awards
Explore our existing categories for creative technology across the competition, which include Best Use of AI & Machine Learning, Virtual Experiences, Developer Tools and more. And, explore this year’s new categories across Creators and Video & Film. Honor your next innovation on our global stage. Enter by the Extended Entry Deadline on Friday, February 7th, 2025.
