Keio President and Prof. Yuval Noah Harari talk about “Human Dignity in the Age of AI”
On March 16, 2025, a special dialogue titled “Human Dignity in the Age of AI: Looking Ahead to a New ‘NEXUS’” was held at Keio University’s Mita Campus with Prof. Yuval Noah Harari, historian and author of “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind”. The event was co-sponsored by Keio University X Dignity Center and Kawade Shobo Shinsha, and moderated by Professor Tatsuhiko Yamamoto, co-director of the X Dignity Center. Approximately 200 people, including students of Keio, and faculty members, gathered at the venue for an enthusiastic discussion.
In the dialogue between Prof. Harari and President Ito, touching on the contents of his latest book “Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI” and his previous books, they discussed how to protect and develop human dignity in the age when AI is permeating all areas of society and the distribution of information is changing at an accelerated pace.
During the Q&A session with students that followed the dialogue, active questions were asked on a wide range of topics, including “The Fragmentation of Narrative,” “AI and War,” “The Flow of Anti-Scientificism,” and “AI and Entertainment”. While answering each question, Prof. Harari emphasized that “More important than technological advancement is how to utilize it and what values to build a society with.”
This event provided a valuable opportunity for participants, including students, to think deeply about human dignity in the age of AI. Keio University X Dignity Center will continue to promote research and dialogue on human dignity and provide a forum for interdisciplinary discussion. The content of this event will be posted on the website of X Dignity Center at a later date.
(Photo by Takeshi Kishi)