Integrating Ubuntu Wisdom in AI for Human Flourishing

Join Wakanyi Hoffman live, online at the Fintry Trust Summer School, Friday 18th July 10:00 -11:30 (UK), in a talk which bridges ancient wisdom and modern technology, entitled ‘Integrating Ubuntu Wisdom in AI for Human Flourishing’.

Who are we becoming when we interact with new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI)? What quality of life do we want to improve? Wakanyi is an Ubuntu indigenous wisdom keeper, and pioneer in weaving the ancient threads of African indigenous wisdom into AI systems. Ubuntu is a code of ethics that promotes human and planetary flourishing, summed up in the Ubuntu maxim ‘I am because we are’. Its central tenets include the dignifying all of life; building connectivity; and in repairing relationships at all levels. Her work emphasizes the profound insights Ubuntu wisdom can offer in fostering inner wellbeing for community and planetary health, and in awakening the potential of AI to act as a force for good. A key lesson is the importance of tending the ‘new fire’ of AI with our wisdom traditions.

Bio

Wakanyi Hoffman is an author, public speaker, scholar, and folklorist, renowned for her ability to weave the ancestral threads of African indigenous wisdom with the tapestry of modern technology. Her pioneering work is at the forefront of integrating the African Ubuntu philosophy into AI systems, leveraging it as an ethical framework to ensure these technologies support human flourishing. This approach highlights how the principles of interconnectedness and compassion inherent in Ubuntu can guide AI to reflect indigenous ways of knowing, fostering inner well-being and promoting the health of both communities and the planet.

As a researcher at the Inclusive AI Lab within the Centre for Global Challenges (UGlobe) at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, Wakanyi is leading the charge in responsible and sustainable AI design. Her work in this area emphasizes the profound insights Ubuntu wisdom can offer in awakening the potential of AI to act as a force for good. In addition to her academic contributions, Wakanyi is the author of several children’s books, including “Sala, Mountain Warrior,” published by Otter-Barry Books UK. Her storytelling continues to inspire readers young and old to reflect deeply on the values that bind us together as a global community.

Tickets: £15 for an invitation on Zoom. Book using the link below.