AI—a form of intelligence within machines designed to simulate that of humans—stands at the precarious intersection of technology and humanity. Throughout this project, I’ve come to recognize the intricate complexities of our relationship with AI in the world around us and consider what this relationship says about what it means to be human: If AI can produce indisputable works of art, then was creativity ever unique to us, and what does it mean to be creative? If AI algorithms are a reflection of datasets originally created by humans, then what do the resulting biases say about us? To what extent can and should automation be used to replace human abilities, and where do we draw the line between humans and machines?

These are just a few of the questions I considered throughout my team’s research. As I interviewed and connected with members of different communities from across the United States and all around the world—our conversations often resulted in more questions than answers.

Oftentimes, I’d end up feeling lost and helpless in the belief that technological “progress” would continue to advance in spite of the issues and consequences that our research had begun to reveal. I wondered what our musings and artwork could do to stem the flow towards a dystopian world in which (as in the Jurassic Parkquote) researchers and tech enthusiasts “were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Yet as I looked past the initial despair, I realized that these conversations marked the first step towards building a brighter future, one in which our technology empowers all. It is my hope that these first steps lead to more intentional strides in the right direction; I hope that they compel us to take the time to pause while we run the race of technological progress in order to reflect upon how far we’ve come, recognize those we’ve left behind, and think about why we continue to run the race in the first place.

As we raise public awareness, elevate underrepresented communities, and ask the difficult questions for which there are no easy answers, we build towards a future in which there is transparency, equity, and intentionality—one in which, as described during an interview with LaQuana Palmer of Rural Forward NC, we “use AI to help

and enhance [rather than] replace” humans, one in which technology and humanity truly exist in harmony.