Welcome to Humanity & The WhAI, a newsletter offering human-centred coverage of developments in AI. We’ll explore both the transformative potential of AI in society’s endeavours and the dangers it poses to our individual identities and collective humanity.

What you’ll get

Every week, I’ll bring you a rundown of what’s happening in AI. Beyond the AI industry headlines, we’ll cover news, views and insights in geopolitics and global competition; infrastructure and energy; policy and regulation; AI safety and ethics; research and applications; and AI in work, education and other parts of our lives. There’ll be interesting links with brief summary and commentary, something to watch or listen to, and an explainer of an AI term or concept.

I’ll help you stay informed and start asking questions about the “why” behind AI and what it means for human cognition, creativity and curiosity.

The newsletter is published on Wednesday evenings from my desk in Melbourne, Australia.

All issues are free to read.

Who it’s for

If you’re more interested in the societal implications of AI on power, ethics, purpose and culture than in leveraging AI for personal productivity or organizational growth and profit, you’re in the right place.

You don’t need to work in tech or run a startup to want to understand AI – you only need to be a thoughtful human who values your intelligence and imagination.

It’s okay to be concerned about being left behind in the transition to a world where advanced AI (if we get there) has agency, at the same time as resisting the idea that AI-powered tools and apps provide all the answers we need right now.

Why it matters

Despite the hype and panic around the rise of intelligent machines, neither utopia nor apocalypse seems just around the corner. But the future is coming fast, and AI already feels like a species-defining inevitability. Wherever it takes us – whether we’re shaping or reacting to it – the years ahead are likely to include upheaval.

The big players in AI are barrelling ahead on behalf of you, me, and the billions of other people on the planet who have no seat at their tables but will have to live with the consequences of the decisions made there. Increasingly, it’s not the technology that feels scary, but the ways it might be used. It’s not too late to challenge assumptions and think deeply about how to best manage the rollout of AI into society – but soon it might be.

About the writer

I have a background in science and years of experience translating research into accessible language as an editor. I’ve worked for academic publishers and international organizations tackling global challenges such as climate change, water resources management and biosecurity – where the intersection of science, policy and human impacts is critical. When I’m not editing or following AI news, I write fiction.

For this newsletter, I scan a wide range of sources, including mainstream news and journalism, tech and business media, magazines and research journals, newsletters, podcasts and think tank websites. I read or watch every piece on my shortlist to decide whether it’s worth your time.

You can reach me by email.

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