Summary of “Experts Debate How to Create a More Humane AI” from Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore 2025
At the Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore conference held on July 23, 2025, experts Anthea Roberts, founder of Dragonfly Thinking, and Russell Wald, executive director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, advocated for a more humane and interdisciplinary approach to AI development.
Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, the private sector, including tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Alibaba, as well as startups like Anthropic and Mistral, has driven AI innovation, primarily focusing on monetization.
However, the experts emphasized that AI must prioritize better thinking over merely being faster or cheaper. This shift is significant as it addresses the growing need for AI to align with human values and societal benefits, rather than solely commercial interests.
Roberts highlighted that both humans and AI often struggle to consider diverse perspectives, whether due to cultural or disciplinary biases in people or a “centrist approach” in AI models.
She proposed that human-AI collaboration could help policymakers address complex issues by incorporating varied national, disciplinary, and domain viewpoints, enhancing decision-making outcomes.
Wald described AI as a “civilization-changing technology” that requires a collaborative ecosystem involving academia, civil society, government, and industry.
He stressed academia’s role in supporting frontier technology, training future AI leaders, and sharing knowledge openly to guide ethical development.
The discussion also tackled public skepticism about AI, driven by its tendencies to produce errors or offensive outputs.
Roberts noted a divide between those who uncritically adopt AI and those who avoid it due to concerns over bias and transparency. She urged broader participation in AI development, beyond the typical “Silicon Valley tech bros,” to ensure diverse voices shape its future.
Wald emphasized selecting the “right parts of humanity” for AI training, avoiding negative traits, and focusing on altruistic instincts to maximize societal benefits.
This call for humane AI could influence businesses to adopt more ethical practices, impacting user trust and engagement.
For users, it promises AI systems that are more reliable, transparent, and aligned with human values, potentially transforming industries like healthcare, education, and policy-making.
FAQ
What is humane AI development?
Humane AI development focuses on creating AI systems that prioritize ethical considerations, transparency, and human values, ensuring they benefit society rather than just commercial interests.
Why is interdisciplinary collaboration important for AI?
Interdisciplinary collaboration in AI brings together diverse perspectives from academia, government, civil society, and industry, fostering innovative solutions and ethical frameworks to address complex global challenges.
