Embassy conference: Exploring new digital futures

The relatively new Embassy’s name is intentionally plural, as noted by creative director Pallas Agterberg at the conference’s opening. “There isn’t just a single future perspective possible; there are many,” she said in Natlab’s Auditorium in Eindhoven. “When you start such an inquiry, you often don’t even know where to begin. The digital world is now woven into everything we do. This brings many possibilities: we can do things today that we couldn’t even imagine in the past.”

Koert van Mensvoort: technology as our ‘Next Nature’

In the opening keynote, Koert van Mensvoort from the Next Nature Network emphasised that technology is now inseparable from all aspects of our daily lives. “Think about that feeling when you forget your smartphone at home—it’s like leaving part of your body behind. You rush back to retrieve it just to feel whole again.” He encouraged the audience to think about the direction we want to evolve with technology, suggesting that we should consciously choose which future scenarios we aim to achieve. “Some futures are purely fantasy, but others can become reality,” he said.

In one of the 120 slides in his presentation, he showed a pyramid model illustrating the typical process by which technology becomes embedded in society: from something anticipated, operational, and applied to something accepted, vital, invisible, and naturally incorporated. This process, he noted, doesn’t always follow a straight path. With examples like Google Nose and the Energy Belt, he presented futuristic concepts that could enrich or disrupt our lives and senses. He argued for growing alongside technology, discovering our “superpowers” rather than fighting against it. By viewing technology as a natural evolution, he challenged the audience to think critically and creatively about our role. “Will technology become our next nature?” he asked, underscoring the importance of remaining aware so that technology empowers us rather than dominates.

Lilian Stolk: the ethics of creativity and AI

In the next talk, Lilian Stolk reflected on AI’s growing influence on our interactions and creativity. She stressed the importance of critical thinking: while AI offers exciting new possibilities, it also presents challenges, such as bias and environmental costs. “We must learn from the lessons of Web 2.0,” she argued, urging that AI be designed not only for functionality but also with ethical responsibility.

Stolk discussed ‘Poetics of Prompting,’ a project through which she aims to inspire people to see AI as something they can experiment with consciously and creatively. In a related exhibition at MU, 21 artists showcase works that challenge the typical AI aesthetic by incorporating glitches and more intuitive imagery. “AI is a craft,” Stolk said. “Designers, artists, and users can shape this craft themselves rather than passively consuming it.”

Cees Dingler: Augmented Reality in de public spaces

Cees Dingler, creative director and co-founder of Capitola, shared examples of how digital technology and augmented reality can transform public spaces. Capitola, specialising in innovative applications of AR and VR, collaborates with clients like Polestar, creating AR projections of new models over existing cars in showrooms. Dingler emphasised that the digital and physical worlds are increasingly intertwined: “We can no longer avoid it.”

He also mentioned recent advancements in smart glasses, such as Snap’s Spectacles, which, with AI and facial recognition, bring new opportunities and challenges. He described future scenarios in which users could enhance their surroundings with game characters or filters. Dingler sees the challenge as creating meaningful designs that benefit society and expects these technologies to become more accessible and personalised.

Designers in conversation

Under Sander van der Waal’s moderation, designers Julia Janssen, Leonore Snoek, Mayra Kapteijn, and Bas Sala shared their views on technology’s social impact. Mayra Kapteijn (Het Verbond) spoke about her project “Play the Algorithm,” which invites young people to approach technology critically. “We need to create safe spaces where young people can keep playing despite the influence of algorithms,” she said, aiming to raise awareness about the impact of digital systems on youth.

Julia Janssen focused on the effects of AI and Big Tech on free will. In her installation “Mapping the Oblivion,” she examines how recommendation systems on platforms like Netflix limit our choices. “You think you have freedom, but the choices are already made for you,” she cautioned, highlighting how this invisible guidance can threaten individual freedom.

Bas Sala presented his work “Cloud City,” a model that visualises the future of cities with smart systems and data infrastructures. “Data is the new gold; control over it equates to economic power,” he said.

Leonore Snoek (Gemeente Amsterdam) rounded off this part of the conference with her project “Digital Youth,” where she works with young people to create a safer online environment. “My goal is to develop technology that gives people, especially young people, more space to be authentic, free from commercial influences,” she said.

Technologie and inclusive online spaces

Wouter Nieuwenhuizen, a researcher at the Rathenau Institute, discussed the impact of technology on vulnerable groups and the need to make online spaces more inclusive. He highlighted that platforms like TikTok and VRChat can sometimes provide valuable, safe spaces for communities, including LGBTQ+ and Indigenous groups. “The internet can be a refuge for those who struggle to find connection elsewhere,” he noted, while also acknowledging issues like the rise of online hate, particularly against LGBTQ+ communities, and the limited control users have on commercialised platforms.

Nieuwenhuizen advocated for alternative online designs that prioritise the needs of vulnerable groups by ensuring more control and anonymity, human content moderation, and safe spaces for self-expression and identity. “If technology fails to consider the most vulnerable, it fails all of us,” he concluded.

Panel Discussion

In a panel discussion, Martijn de Waal (Professor at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), Charissa Sloote (Digital City Project Manager for the City of Amsterdam), Marcel Thaens (Chief Information Officer of the North Brabant province), and Mieke van Heesewijk (Project Leader at the SIDN Fund) explored the role of technology and public values in the digital society. De Waal advocated for adding an extra layer to Van Mensvoort’s pyramid, not just focusing on practical applications but also on the societal values we wish to uphold: “How can we use technology not only to serve consumers but also to strengthen a democratic society?” he asked, stressing the importance of reflecting on this question.

Marcel Thaens also pointed to governments’ ethical responsibility when deploying AI, while Charissa Sloote emphasised Amsterdam’s aim to leverage technological opportunities without compromising public values. Van Heesewijk highlighted the need for a transparent and inclusive digital infrastructure: “The internet forms the foundation of our democratic system, and we must ensure it remains accessible and fair for all.” The panel concluded that designers and policymakers must collaborate to make technology more human and inclusive.

Towards a future of responsible technology

In her closing remarks, Pallas Agterberg emphasised the importance of a practical course of action for both policymakers and citizens. “We tend to think of digital futures as superpowers for big tech or magical AI machines, but everyone can develop a superpower. And each superpower can carry an algorithm that could oppress others. What matters now is that we discover these possibilities in clear language, experiment with them, and ensure they don’t become oppressive algorithms,” she said. By simplifying the language, she argued, we can better understand the roles we each play and our options for action.

Agterberg concluded by calling on everyone to remain critically aware of who benefits from these “superpowers” and how we can create a future where technology is an accessible, positive, and connecting force for all.