How do you envision a future in which we are able to embody the experiences of other species?

In multiple online and in-person citizen meet-ups, we viewed ‘Symbiotic’ and asked the participants to share their hopes, fears, and expectations of a future inspired by the artefact. Scroll down to view the insights.

EXPLORE STATEMENTS

During the meet-ups, we asked participants to share their statements of the world described by the artefact. Afterwards, we asked all participants to give feedback on each other’s statements based on their positive or negative connotations and whether they see the statement as something they expect will happen in the future. The matrix below shows all submitted statements and clusters them based on the overall feedback. We used a trained AI to anonymously summarise the statements in a short narrative (see next section).

Futures Garden Symbiotic Chart

READ NARRATIVES

These narratives were created based on the statements in the matrix above gathered during the citizen meet-ups. Participants shared their insights inspired by the artefacts, which were then fed anonymously into an AI to construct expansive and diverse future scenarios. Each story is a unique blend of human creativity and machine intelligence, aimed at enriching your understanding of the artefacts and inspiring a deeper contemplation of possible futures.

POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS

Based on 152 opinions and 434 ratings.

Redefining Human-Nature Relations: The AI Era

Future technology may redefine human relationship with nature, promoting sustainability and compassion.
Interacting with varied intelligences could alter societal norms and human dominance perspective.
Possible challenges include ethical conflicts and exploitation for commercial entertainment.
In the possible future, humanity may redefine its relationship with the natural world, tapping into the emotions and experiences of other species, potentially transforming our attitudes towards sustainability, compassion, and cohabitation. With the aid of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, we could inhabit other intelligences, broadening our understanding of the world.
This shift may influence societal norms, cultural values, and political policies, fostering a more inclusive, empathic and sustainable approach. Interacting with these varied intelligences might allow us to perceive aspects of reality previously unknown, changing our perspective of human dominance and our treatment of nature.
A potential consequence is a radical shift in our diet, possibly leading to an increase in veganism, and an appreciation for green spaces. Our understanding of our role and impact on the world might become clearer, fostering thoughtful behaviors and empathy towards the intentions, needs, fears, and potentials of others.
Our ability to inhabit other intelligences may also offer self-discovery, resembling the effects of psychedelic experiences, and leading to novel strategies for preserving life. This could facilitate advancements in various fields and promote greater environmental respect and education, possibly leading to improved biodiversity protection and enhanced representation of all living entities.
However, this future is not devoid of challenges, as this expanded perception may complicate our understanding of the world, potentially creating ethical conflicts, or even being exploited for commercial entertainment. We will need to navigate these challenges wisely to ensure a harmonious coexistence with all forms of life.

EXPECTED CHALLENGES

Tech-Induced Empathy:
Boon or Bane?

Based on 42 opinions and 86 ratings.

Future technology may allow humans to experience other species' consciousness, leading to ethical and psychological implications.
Such experiences could deepen connections with nature, but also risk exploitation and socio-economic divide.
These new experiences may provoke a range of responses and debates about responsibility and coexistence.
In a future where humans embody the experiences of other species, the consequences are multifaceted and complex. Technological advancements could enable us to tap into the consciousness of other beings, leading to significant ethical, psychological, and environmental implications. This hyper-awareness may divide humanity further, with some embracing the opportunity to better understand our environment and others resisting such transformative experiences, possibly due to fear or a perceived threat to their power.
While these experiences might offer deeper connections with nature and other life forms, they could also lead to exploitative behaviors, furthering dominance and control. This emphasis on other species could potentially marginalize efforts to improve the human experience, particularly for vulnerable groups. A socio-economic divide might emerge, with technology owners possibly exploiting these capabilities for their own gain.
In this scenario, individuals might be overwhelmed by these new experiences, leading to a range of responses such as heightened empathy, spiritual awakening, or a desire to flee the human world. The authenticity and effectiveness of such experiences may be subject to skepticism, and the subsequent actions could provoke debates about responsibility and coexistence. Despite the potential for increased understanding and harmony, these advancements might also exacerbate existing tensions, contributing to the complexity of our world.

HOPEFUL DREAMS

Based on 20 opinions and 32 ratings.

Humanity’s Future:
Empathy and Biodiversity

Future may dissolve barriers between people/animals, living/non-living, fostering understanding and empathy.
Shift towards communitarianism could lead to a peaceful, democratic society with systemic care.
Perception of development, success, and education might transform for balanced coexistence with nature.
In the future, we might see a dissolution of the barriers that conventionally segregate the world into categories such as people/animals, living/non-living. This could lead to a revitalized connection with the natural world around us, facilitating a profound understanding of other species. With this understanding, the notion of human superiority might be deconstructed, paving the way for a more empathetic society that values every life. This development could harbor greater biodiversity protection, as previously unknown patterns in various ecosystems get unraveled.
In this scenario, the objective of creating a harmonious, peaceful, and enjoyable world might become more pronounced. People might start to recognize the human impact on other species and their habitats and work towards rectifying past mistakes. A shift towards communitarianism could be witnessed, fostering a sense of community among individuals. We might build a society based on systemic care, leading to global anticipatory governance with peace, democracy, and compassionate relationships at its core.
Furthermore, this shift might transform our perception of development, success, and life, creating conditions for a more balanced existence. Education systems might be revamped to integrate these perspectives, helping individuals to project themselves into the experiences of other species. Ultimately, the future might bring an era where we coexist harmoniously within the intricate tapestry of the natural world.

DISTANT THREATS

Based on 22 opinions and 42 ratings.

Dystopian Future: Humanity’s Technological Evolution

Future technology could lead to environmental changes and evolution of human species across multiple planets.
Advanced technology could pose threats to social life, cause fear among less intelligent species, and lead to isolation.
The future might be empathetic and mindful, but could raise privacy concerns and potential control by other species.
In the future, humanity could potentially experience a dual use of technology, leading to unexpected environmental outcomes. The human species might evolve into a more advanced form, possibly expanding to multiple planets, with life becoming less personal yet more technologically sophisticated. This modern advancement could pose threats to social life, especially among young school-going children. The advanced tools could instigate fear among less intelligent species, potentially sparking survival-of-the-fittest scenarios. This effect might antagonize our relationship with other species, possibly leading us to isolate them due to their vast differences and complexities in communication. Misinterpretations of the device outcomes could arise, with researchers possibly decoding results in 'human terms.' The future might be more mindful, empathetic, and evolved, with the potential to allocate constitutional rights to all species. This evolution might pave the way for constant wonder, curiosity, and awe for other beings. However, the evolution of symbiosis into a telepathic connection could raise privacy concerns, with the potential for certain entities to control others. This could result in scenarios where humans are subjugated by other forms of life, such as trees. Our lives could become more fulfilling and more in touch with the sublime, leading us to a dystopian but interesting future.