Human+ : Aligning tech with human and planetary well being

In an era where technological disruption is the norm, organisations face a critical challenge: how to harness the power of innovation while enabling human and planetary flourishing. This balancing act is not just an organisational concern, but a defining issue of the 21st century that impacts individuals, institutions, and society at large.

One example of such disruption is AI. AI is like a speeding train and while there are benefits from staying on board, we know that the unbridled development of AI presents us with a number of challenges around its ethical and responsible use. It's likely to have significant impacts on society and the environment. How we respond to these challenges and consideration of our role in shaping its future development have partly informed our manifesto below.

Our Human+ technology manifesto

1. We champion the intentional use of technology that augments humans rather than replaces them.   
2. We always keep humans in the decision-making loop. We value human curiosity in data analysis and experiment design.
3. We track the impact our use of technology has on our planetary boundaries and social foundations, and actively seek to reduce it through our choices. 
4. We are wary of past data being used to influence the future as it can perpetuate harms, like bias and could result in values lock-in if combined with automated decision making. 
5. We prioritise human interaction and use technology to strengthen our shared sense of connection and encourage deep work. 
6. We value above all the richness of direct human-human and human-nature interaction. We prioritise tools that support face-to-face interactions and enrich these experiences, ensuring digital advances foster, rather than fracture, genuine human bonds.
7. We value all humans’ limited attention and time on this earth. We will not use coercive technologies that seek to hijack the frailties of the human mind.  
8. We are on a path of disentangling ourselves from dependence on big tech companies and those involved in societal and environmental harms. 
9. We seek to anticipate the impact of emerging technologies and shape their development through advocacy, including on behalf of those with less power including the voiceless.

Please help us

We’ve love to get your voice and perspective on our early thinking. We invite you to engage with these principles, challenge them, and help refine them.

•  How do these principles resonate with your organization's values and practices? 
•  What additional considerations should be included? 
• How might you adapt and implement similar guidelines in your own work?

We encourage you to share your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions. Let's collaborate to create a framework that ensures technology serves humanity and our planet, not the other way around.

Have some builds? Reach out to us directly.