Insights from the 100-day AI Futures challenge
By Dr. Stéphanie Camaréna, Founder, Source Transitions
In late May 2024, Source Transitions hosted an "AI Futures" workshop at the AI for Good Summit in Geneva. Collaborating with the TASC Platform and building on Our Future Life's participatory futures project, the workshop set the stage for an ambitious 100-day challenge aimed at transforming the visionary concepts into tangible actions.
The challenge kicked off with five preliminary visions for inclusive, fair, and community-empowering AI futures developed at the workshop. These visions spanned diverse themes:
lifelong learning,
integrated local food networks,
preventative health,
justice and institutions, and
cultural heritage.
The goal? To deepen these futuristic concepts and chart potential pathways to action.
Despite the inherent difficulties of fostering teamwork among individuals from varied backgrounds who had only briefly collaborated, the challenge yielded impressive results. While initial participation dwindled from 12 to 6 dedicated individuals, their efforts produced two enhanced scenarios ready for transformation into storyboards or videos. These compelling narratives are poised to communicate the visions effectively and inspire wider engagement. One scenario is primed for pitching as a research and innovation project (lifelong learning), complete with a clear action plan. The other pushes the boundaries of creativity and imagination in AI futures (integrated local food networks).
Key successes of the challenge included:
Leveraging existing visions as springboards for immediate brainstorming on stakeholders, barriers, and data needs.
Structuring progress through fortnightly catchups that provided guidance and motivation.
Utilising a video-based communication platform that fostered a more human connection across time zones.
Implementing guided exercises on a Mural board, allowing for flexible, self-organised teamwork.
However, the challenge also revealed areas for improvement:
The 100-day timeframe proved challenging - too long to maintain peak engagement, yet too short for thorough idea experimentation.
A dedicated onboarding session for familiarising participants with the tools could have accelerated comfort and productivity.
Initial team definitions limited cross-pollination of ideas, delaying valuable inter-team learning opportunities.
Looking ahead, a project to develop storyboards and potentially short films is underway, aiming to contribute to “Our Future Life” featured short films. For updates, keep an eye on the TASC Platform, Our Future Life, and Source Transitions. Additionally, an upcoming journal article will delve into the methodologies and outcomes of this participatory approach to designing sustainable and inclusive AI futures.
This challenge exemplifies the power of collaborative visioning in shaping our technological future. By bringing diverse minds together, we can craft AI futures that truly serve and empower all communities.
Source Transitions:
Source Transitions is a for-profit for-purpose consulting company assisting organisations to navigate and design responsible innovation pathways, leveraging AI and other emerging technologies to drive sustainable transitions. We bridge the gap between visionary thinking and practical action, helping our clients create positive impact in a rapidly changing world.
Are you a policymaker, business leader, or NGO representative interested in experiencing a similar workshop or process to shape inclusive AI futures? We invite you to get in touch with Source Transitions to explore how we can collaborate in creating responsible and sustainable AI pathways tailored to your organisation's needs and goals.
Source Transitions Global – info@sourcetransitions.org
Source Transitions Europe – info@responseabilityconsulting.ie