Beyond Anthropos

The current acceleration of technological changes brings more and more into doubt the human’s sovereignty on the planet. Various discussions shed light to older fears, but also hopes concerning the Machine’s empowerment. Is it possible, for instance, that future forms of ‘artificial superintelligence’ might supersede the human? Can additive manufacturing and robotic systems enhance human’s abilities?

Exploring questions such as the above, the works presented focus on the formation of a new hybrid condition between human and machine, one that renders even their distinction difficult. Objects, bots, advanced A.I. agents with affective skills, and wearables, offer the ground to discuss various aspects of this condition: from the future of companionship, and personal relationships, to the organization, and the governance of the future city. They speculate on the changes that tomorrow might bring, if decisions are to be taken more and more by machines. Maybe the relationship of the human to the elements of the nature, the shells, the networks, and the society, would then find a new, peculiar balance. But this would inevitably mean that the development of the future city would also be beyond the human’s control...