Who has the final say between humans and machines?

Are we developing technologies that extend human capabilities or diminish them? From artificial languages to synthetic images and autonomous agents, humans and their centrality seem to be under attack once again, following previous narcissistic wounds inflicted by cosmology, biology and psychology. Are their prerogatives (language, vision, action) now being eroded in favour of machines and artificial intelligence engineering? This is the case for the last word, the absent eye and the obscene act: the three latest provocations of technology. Displaced from the ancient centrality it had carved out for itself over time, humanity is once again questioning its horizon and its delegating destiny. Starting with the existential question of our times: so, who has the last word between humans and machines?

Cosimo Accoto, tech philosopher, research affiliate (MIT Boston), adjunct professor (UNIMORE), AI strategic advisor (POLLICINO AIDVISORY), corporate board member, startup ambassador & instructor, Cosimo Accoto is the author of an original and acclaimed philosophical trilogy on digital civilisation: Il mondo in sintesi (The World in Summary) (2022), Il mondo ex machina (The World Ex Machina) (2019), Il mondo dato (The Given World) (2017), the latter of which has been translated into several languages, most recently into Chinese. His new essay is entitled Il Pianeta Latente. Provocazioni della tecnica, innovazioni della cultura (The Latent Planet: Provocations of Technology, Innovations of Culture) (2024, Egea). He publishes in various journals, including Economia & Management (SDA Bocconi School of Management), Harvard Business Review Italia, Sistemi & Impresa, Aspenia, MIT Sloan Management Review Italia, and Civiltà delle Macchine. He has gained his professional and managerial skills over time and in the field, first in the data industry for media measurement and analysis and finally in strategic management consulting for the digital transformation of large companies and corporations.  His current research interests are wide-ranging: philosophy of code and programming, sensor and software society, robotic automation and theories of artificial intelligence, blockchain and philosophy of cryptosystems, quantum computing and synthetic biology, philosophy of extended, synthetic and immersive realities. He designs and creates innovative philtech labs (strategic engineering philosophy laboratories) for institutions, organisations, associations, think tanks and companies. A frequent guest on national television and radio programmes dedicated to cultural and strategic innovation (Codice on RAI1 and Smart City on Radio24), he has been a speaker, contributor and discussant at executive and leadership events organised by The European House Ambrosetti, Aspen Institute Italia, Harvard Business Review Italia and Fondazione Leonardo. He is also an ambassador and instructor for several innovative start-ups, including Feel (gov-tech), Open Search Network (data-people) and SostenabItaly (digital-green).