The Human Element in the Digital World

“AI is a tool. The choice about how it gets deployed is ours.”

~ Oren Etzioni, Allen Institute for AI

The digital age is no longer coming – it’s here, transforming every corner of our lives. Artificial Intelligence, automation, and digital platforms now shape how we think, work, and connect. Machines answer our questions, algorithms decide what we see, and speed replaces reflection. But amid this dazzling progress, one question echoes louder than ever: what becomes of our humanity in a world run by code?

As we wrap up 2025, AWiB presents the critical topic “The Human Element in the Digital World”. This discussion will explore how empathy, ethics, and emotional intelligence can remain central as AI takes on roles once reserved for people. Education systems and workplaces are challenged not only to equip individuals with technical fluency but also to preserve the critical thinking and compassion essential for inclusive societies.

What happens when AI and digital platforms amplify bias, erode privacy, or spread misinformation, deepening the increasing polarization in the world? And yet, could these same tools also strengthen human connection, enhance wellbeing, and create more purposeful work when guided by intention and responsibility?

From diverse fields emerge examples of human-centered innovation that remind us: technology should serve human values, not replace them. The real question is, how do we ensure that, in the race toward digital progress, humanity stays at the heart of it all?

1. How can empathy, ethics, and emotional intelligence remain central as AI and digital systems become more pervasive?
2. What role should education play in balancing technical fluency with critical thinking and emotional intelligence in the age of AI?
3. How can societies address risks of bias, misinformation, polarization, and loss of privacy amplified by digital and AI-driven platforms?
4. In what ways can businesses and governments, especially in African countries like Ethiopia, adapt to or design human-centered AI systems that uphold dignity, fairness, and inclusion?

He has an MPA from Princeton University, and studied Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. He lives in Nairobi.

Kubik has a technology that helps countries reduce their carbon and plastic footprint. We turn hard-to-recycle plastic waste into low-cost, low-carbon, interlocking building material by removing waste from the environment and creating ultra durable, safe, and affordable buildings. We are on an unwavering mission to build dignity through clean and affordable living for all.

Amadou’s approach is deeply rooted in understanding that Africa doesn’t have a talent problem. It has a tools problem. Through Gebeya’s comprehensive ecosystem, he’s empowering millions of service providers across the continent to compete globally, transforming individual struggles into collective strength.

His bold 2030 vision positions Africa’s service economy to reach $1 trillion annually, with millions of entrepreneurs building 7-figure businesses. For Amadou, every transaction through Gebeya’s platform represents defiance against outdated narratives about Africa’s capabilities.

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