As part of the Human Intelligence campaign, we asked uOttawa students: what happens when our futures are shaped for us instead of by us?

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Human Intelligence in a changing world

Amid political division, climate instability, technological disruption, and rising social disconnection, it’s becoming harder to imagine a future where human flourishing is possible.  

Do you feel like algorithms are making decisions for you? Is what you watch, listen to, eat, wear, and think determined by data points and optimization? Is your future already written?  

Futures Foretold is a creative experiment exploring those questions. We asked 25 uOttawa students to read scripted statements foretelling their futures. They had not seen the scripts beforehand and were not coached. We documented their responses and then asked participants to imagine what a human future would be.

Their reflections were captured in a series of videos that reveal how technology is shaping not only our lives, but also how we imagine the future.

See how uOttawa students felt about having their futures foretold. 

The skills of tomorrow are deeply human

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Imagination. Ethics. Adaptability. Emotional awareness. These are the capabilities that technology can’t replace, and that uOttawa Arts is helping to cultivate with a series of new programs designed to foster Human Intelligence.