Upgrading Humanity: What AI Is Asking of Us
Jun 08, 2026By Trista Harris
Trista Harris is a Philanthropic Futurist and President of FutureGood.
What Does It Mean to Become More Human in the Age of AI?
I question I've been asking myself a LOT lately is-
What does it mean to become more human in an age of artificial intelligence?
I think this may become one of the defining questions of our time.
AI is moving quickly. New tools arrive almost daily. Organizations are experimenting, restructuring, and trying to understand what this technology means for their work, their teams, and the communities they serve. We are watching entire sectors adapt in real time.
Most conversations about AI focus on productivity, automation, efficiency, and scale. Those conversations matter. They will shape budgets, staffing structures, and operating models for years to come.
What interests me even more is what happens to humanity as all of this unfolds.
What becomes more valuable as machines become more capable?
I believe the answer is deeply human qualities.
Innovation.
Trust.
Relationships.
Wonder.
Community.
The ability to imagine a future that does not yet exist.
The social sector has spent decades building these capacities. We know how to bring people together across difference. We understand what happens when systems fail people. We know how to create belonging and build trust in moments of uncertainty. We have practiced hope when the evidence suggested despair.
Those skills matter even more now.
AI is powerful at synthesizing information and identifying patterns. It can surface what has already been written, studied, and documented. Human beings do something different. We imate more space for imagination? How do we cultivate communities where people feel seen, valued, and connected?
Because the future will need those things. The future may even depend on them.
I deeply believe we are five years from utopia. I believe this technological shift could help us solve extraordinary problems and open new possibilities for humanity. But that future will not be built by technology alone. It will be built by people who know how to care, connect, dream, and create together.
Register for the Webinar: Upgrading Humanity
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Time: 1pm ET / 10am PT
