We don't just have a "tech problem." We have a coordination problem.
See upcoming livestreams, gatherings, workshops, roundtables, and more!
Welcome back to All Tech Is Human’s newsletter. We’re glad you’re here.
In today’s newsletter, we wanted to surface a glaring problem we’ve noticed in our unique role as the center of gravity for the Responsible Tech ecosystem. Here is the observation: we don’t just have a “tech problem,” we have a coordination problem.
What do we mean by this? When it comes to tackling thorny tech & society issues and working towards a better tech future, various stakeholders have the same general goals but often lack the alignment, trust, or shared language to reach them. This is a major problem that gets in the way of progress.
When we separate individual actors (as opposed to mixing stakeholders), these groups work in silos, which can produce fragmented solutions. The ways All Tech Is Human acts as a coordination layer to bridge these gaps include:
Multistakeholder Mixing: By breaking down silos, we can have a shared understanding of the problem and work towards coordinated action.
Professionalizing the Ecosystem: By illuminating pathways for involvement, we can create a clear pipeline for individuals highly motivated to align our tech future with the public interest.
Reducing Barrier to Entry: To solve complex tech & society issues, we need a diverse range of perspectives involved that have an on-ramp to participation.
Convening: One-time events don’t typically lead to significant events, but consistent engagement builds the high-level trust necessary for sectors to collaborate on high-stakes issues.
Now, onto the newsletter! 👇
Join our livestream on May 19, where we talk to the author of Prophecy
Our tech future is not inevitable. On May 19, we will be joined by author Carissa Véliz to discuss her new book, TED talk, and more. We’ll be digging into whether individuals who make predictions about our future and its inevitability may be just trying to sell us that vision.
We’re exploring the evolving landscape for careers in Responsible Tech. Join us!
Leveraging our new partnership with Highspring, where we’re building a global Responsible Tech talent engine, we are diving into the data to uncover what is actually happening on the ground for employers and job seekers alike. This session will feature an exclusive look at the results from our latest survey of hiring managers and candidates, paired with real-time insights gathered from our Responsible Tech Job Board and our expansive talent pool.
We’ll be joined by Melanie Quandt, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Highspring, to share her expertise. This conversation will provide a look into the skills, roles, and structural trends defining the future of work in AI governance, Trust and Safety, and more. We will bridge the gap between high-level industry shifts and practical career advice, offering a comprehensive look at how the Responsible Tech movement is professionalizing and where we may be headed.
Employers, hiring managers, and candidates can take our survey here.
Upcoming gatherings, workshops, and roundtables:
May 21 in NYC: This gathering with Cornell Tech will bring together a mixture of Trust and Safety professionals, researchers, academics, students, civil society orgs, and more for a discussion about Platforms and Deepfake Nudes: A Responsibility to Act.
All Tech Is Human will be in London! We’re holding a Responsible AI Community Mixer on June 2 at the historic Old Spitalfields Market. Join us for drinks and music, and say hello to David Ryan Polgar and Sherine Kazim from the team (David will be speaking at SXSW London on June 3 for a Reclaiming AI for the Public Good panel.)
On June 18th in NYC, we’re convening a small group of senior foundation and nonprofit leaders for a candid dialogue about what AI adoption actually looks like at the leadership level: where it’s working, where the governance gaps are real, and how funders and implementers can move in closer alignment. In collaboration with Forum One, and being held at Idealist.org’s headquarters.
How is the “Agentic Shift” affecting the workplace? In collaboration with the Notre Dame-IBM Tech Ethics Lab, we are organizing two workshops in NYC on July 13 and 14 (one for mid-level, one for executives). These workshops will lead to the creation of a whitepaper arriving in the Fall, and are being led by Jen Weedon from our Braintrust.
How do we ensure the responsible development of quantum computing and artificial intelligence? If you are interested in the scientific utility of quantum simulations or the latest in AI governance, you’ll want to join our collaborative gathering with the Finnish Consulate in New York on July 15, which is bringing together global leaders from industry, academia, and the public sector. Curated for 75 individuals, we’ll conclude the panels, lightning talks, and networking with a reception at the Finnish Residence.
Three new speakers added to our Responsible Tech Summit!
We’re busy behind the scenes putting together our Responsible Tech Summit. This year’s theme is Embedding Accountability in the AI Era; we are thrilled to announce that Carrie Varoquiers, Alison Lee, and Kristin Hansen will be on stage, alongside Rumman Chowdhury, Cathy O’Neil, Eli Pariser, Camille François, Sinead Bovell, and many more.
This is quite the undertaking, so we are honored to have the support of Siegel Family Endowment, Workday, Mastercard, Microsoft, and the Civic Health Project. More partners to be announced shortly; reach out to learn more.
Livestream registration and in-person participation will be available in early June. Fill out our form below to share your ideas and express your interest.
Friends of ATIH
On May 19, the Denver/Boulder community is organizing an ATIHx gathering that anyone can join.
On May 20, the Council on Tech and Social Cohesion is hosting our 2026 Global Expo. One event, eight hours, two segments designed to reach audiences from San Francisco to Jakarta. Bringing together technologists, civil society, researchers, regulators, and peacebuilders to mark a shift the field has been building toward for a while — moving away from harm mitigation and toward the intentional design of technology that fosters trust, collaboration, and peace. Register here.
On May 21, Sherine Kazim will be speaking about All Tech Is Human’s ecosystem-building work at Stanford University for a Responsible AI workshop co-hosted by New Rising Ventures / New Media Ventures, Stanford Haas Center for Public Service, and Fast Forward.
On May 26, the Barcelona community (ATIHx Barcelona) is putting together a Responsible Tech Unconference! Register here.
On June 17, the Aspen Institute and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation are holding Shared Futures: The AI Forum at The Times Center in Manhattan, along with being livestreamed. All Tech Is Human’s David Ryan Polgar and Sandra Khalil will be there. Let us know if you will be as well.
ICYMI
Emma Hatheway, an intern with All Tech Is Human, wrote a terrific piece for Tech Policy Press about the need for independent AI model testing.
All Tech Is Human’s child safety work with Thorn, where we forged generative AI principles that received major industry commitments, was featured by the Australian government and its eSafety Commissioner as a case study for collaboration in its new toolkit, Designing for Safety: Preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse online. (How did we do this? You guessed it...coordination!)
🏗️Together, we’re building a better tech future.
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