AI+1 explores how we might not only govern emerging technology, but approach it with realism and optimism

A new title AI+1, designed by creative agency 50,000feet and featuring illustrations by Nicholas Blechman for The Rockefeller Foundation, delves into answering the difficult question of “How can we responsibly govern emerging technology with both realism and optimism?”

Gathering together research institutions, nongovernmental organisations, business leaders and governments to consider this difficult conundrum, AI+1 developed out of The Rockefeller Foundation’s A Month of AI event. Bringing together various leaders across tech and the public sector, the month-long event also investigated topics such as, “How do we lead the future with human agency driven by data insight?” or “How can we use everything we’ve learned and everything we’ll invent as a force for good – and a catalyst for change?”. Taking place back in 2019, the objective of the month was to “share a collective vision of how AI affects our wellbeing and what societal shifts we’ll see and manage as more human and machines collaborations that take place,” explains agency 50,000feet who were brought in to distill these explorations into a publication format.

In turn, AI+1 not only offers a peek into the conversations and considerations discussed during this event, it additionally features 14 essays by participants. 50,000feet then collated this into a publication which feels like “‘a notebook of ideas’ exploring nuanced topics rather than giving definite answers,” paired with doodle-like illustrations by Nicholas Blechman. Acting like an illustrative train of thought as each essay moves on to another, the final report “weaves together the story – both past and present – of AI with visual and written harmony,” adds the agency.

A fascinating exploration of problems, ideas and questions about our growing relationship with technology, AI+1 contributes to The Rockefeller’s long history of investigating this topic. As 50,000feet tell us, the foundation has “long addressed the challenges and opportunities AI presents,” explaining how: “In fact, the Foundation funded the Dartmouth Summer Research Project in 1956, where a band of scientists, engineers and mathematicians originated the term artificial intelligence.”