When I share my vision for the future of technology, I often encounter warnings—concerns rooted in a belief that humans are more capable of corruption than love. But I disagree. I believe we are shifting away from outdated systems of power and mistrust toward a world grounded in community care, personal and social flourishing, and harmony with nature.

This transformation is not radical but necessary. Climate change is compelling us to abandon the industrial-age notion of conquering nature and instead embrace living in resonance with it. This shift opens us up to deeper connections with the world and with each other. Old paradigms of competition and domination, tied to patriarchal systems, no longer serve us. Capitalistic structures often exploit our vulnerabilities, leading us to measure our self-worth through success metrics that may feel empty or unattainable.

Many people express scepticism when I discuss empathy and compassion as cornerstones of my research. While they agree that empathy should be foundational to human conduct, they seem doubtful that humans are fundamentally capable of consistently kind behaviour. This view, however, overlooks the innate goodness and capacity for love in each individual. Yes, power can corrupt, and misuse of technology is possible. But I believe that by focusing on benevolent power—collective forces of love and kindness—we can reshape the world in meaningful ways.

Technology, in this context, is just a tool. What excites me about it is not its futuristic potential, but its ability to help us rediscover what it means to be human. Augmented sensory devices or high-tech gadgets are fascinating, but my real hope is that technology will remind us of the simple beauties of life, allowing us to reconnect with one another on a deeper level. Emerging technologies offer new ways for us to engage with our emotions and each other, fostering empathy and understanding.

I realized recently that I do believe that the technology I am working to bring into the world is somehow arriving at the right time in the collective emergence of a new style of leadership. I do believe that we are living through the fall of patriarchy and the rise of a new worldview and leadership that is more inclusive, more discursive, more tolerant, and ultimately more accepting. We cannot just be frustrated and fed up — this shuts down our nervous system from the creative and collaborative potential of bringing forth a new vision of a better world. This transition requires more than dissatisfaction with the status quo; it demands hope and a vision for a better future. We need a vision for the world that we want to move towards creating. Creativity and collaboration thrive when we are open to possibilities, rather than paralyzed by frustration or fear.

The pandemic has further underscored the importance of social support and community. It has revealed our collective need to care for one another and to work toward common goals. This realization, coupled with the daily acts of kindness I’ve experienced in various countries, affirms my belief that people are fundamentally warm and kind. Kindness, though, is not always easy or automatic—it is a skill that must be nurtured, practiced, and developed over time. The more we cultivate kindness in ourselves, the more we can offer it to others.

My experience living in seven countries around the world has revealed to me that people are generally warm and kind. I have experienced an overwhelming social net of kindness. Sometimes this kindness is tainted by someone’s dissatisfaction with themselves in that moment or on that day. That’s very sad, but I can sense that it is not directed towards me in any way.

I have a daily practice of making eye contact with strangers I pass on the street. And I can tell you confidently that most people respond with kindness. People seem happy to be recognized, to be seen, and to have a little moment of mutual awareness. This gives me hope. My point here is that I want people to be aware that the capacity and eagerness for love and acceptance (given and received) is easily visible to me in most people in most places. I think this is really important to remember when we are so bombarded by humans’ capacity for mistreatment and hate.

I think there is some laziness in the assumption that kindness is a basic skill that does not need to be practised or developed. Throughout our lives, we will experience conditions of the world in our own private lives and the lives of others that challenge us, and that require new skills in compassion and kindness. We can value kindness, and imagine a world full of kindness, but still be careful not to write it off as something obvious and easy. In reality, honestly, in my experience kindness is often not the easiest or most obvious choice. I think a lot of this starts with how we treat ourselves. I’m not always my best, kindest self — sometimes I’m hot, in a rush, upset, or otherwise not socially attuned. But when I have energy to give, I do. And even if people don’t show gratitude, I think it matters.

Fear, in many ways, is a barrier to love and connection. By releasing unnecessary fears, we open ourselves up to the benevolent forces in the world, seeing beauty and kindness more clearly. Technology can play a role in this transformation by helping us engage more deeply with our emotional and relational experiences. Tools that foster empathy, facilitate communication, and encourage emotional literacy can help us build a more compassionate world.

My vision is for a future where we use technology to enhance our understanding of one another, to foster curiosity and emotional depth, and to reconnect with the shared human experience. I believe in the potential for technology to be used responsibly, with integrity, to create tools that cultivate compassion. By working with humanitarian grants and ethical funding sources, I trust that it is possible to bring these tools into the world in a way that stays true to their purpose: promoting human flourishing through skilful compassion.

Specifically, I envision a world where people want to learn about one another. This curiosity will be fostered and facilitated through technologies that open up more channels to communicate aspects of varieties of embodied and subjective experiences. We will develop elaborate languages for emotional experiences, and begin to desire experiencing more emotions and experiencing emotions more richly and deeply. We will remember how beautiful it is to feel. Navigating difficult and complex emotions together will allow us to feel connected.

Ultimately, my goal is to help people develop compassion as a skill—a skill that can be practised and refined throughout life. My hope is that these technological tools could help people become aware of their strengths and shortcomings with compassion, and to grow and develop their skills. I hope that frameworks for cultivating compassion will one day be integrated into educational systems and workplaces, allowing future generations to grow into more empathetic and connected individuals.