Design: Annette Jung
The Promptah No. 3: “Future Positive!”
In its third issue, DLD’s people magazine for curious minds highlights the rapid evolution of AI and celebrates Esther Dyson as a pioneer of using tech for good.
There are many ways to respond to the rapid progress of artificial intelligence. You can stand by and watch in awe; voice concern about AI’s impact on work, society, and politics; wonder whether machines will soon surpass humans, perhaps develop a mind of their own; or get involved and use the technology to help shape a better future.
The third issue of The Promptah, DLD’s award-winning people magazine for curious minds, reflects all of these responses – while taking a clear stance in favor of optimism. When we approach AI “with open minds and a hopeful spirit, we can all work together to build a truly FUTURE POSITIVE” world, publishers Steffi Czerny (DLD) and Christian Teichmann, Managing Director of Burda Principal Investments, write in their editorial.
This made renowned author and investor Esther Dyson a natural choice for the cover. “For decades, she has been a crucial voice analyzing technology’s societal impact, consistently advocating for human-centric approaches”, Czerny and Teichmann note. “Her renowned ability to see the bigger picture makes her an invaluable guide as we navigate Al, and a compelling example of leadership in forging a more beneficial technological future.”
Rapid Innovation: Promise and Perils
Waymo’s robotaxis are quickly becoming a normal part of traffic in many U.S. cities. The self-driving cars are perhaps the biggest success story yet to come out of Alphabet’s “moonshot factory” X, formerly known as Google X. In a personal essay, the innovation lab’s co-founder, Astro Teller, shares what drives him, and why he believes that humanity will benefit from the advancement of technology. (For more, take a look at our interview with him.)
World-changing technology can also cause damage, of course. That’s why Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, calls for a slow-down in the “race to recklessness” that he sees in the way AI is currently being rolled out across business and society.
If you find yourself wondering whether AI might someday become conscious, the essay of renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth (University of Susex) is a must-read. Stanford University’s Michal Kosinski, meanwhile, asks what happens when communication shifts from humans to machines – and why it matters who controls the AI models that are chatting with us, and increasingly with each other.
Full speed ahead: DLD speakers share their insights on AI advancing at a breakneck pace. Download your Promptah copy for free.
Europe’s Chance to Lead
With the global order falling into disarray, Europe faces both challenges and opportunities. One of them is controlling the technology that the continent relies upon. “Who owns the infrastructure of your life?” is not a question that “most people ask at breakfast”, Francesca Bria observes. “But we should.” Her essay describing the EuroStack concept makes clear that investing in native technology solutions could not only make the continent more resilient to external threats, but also offer a chance to become more competitive on a global scale.
Bavaria’s BAIOSPHERE initiative aims to give both Germany and Europe a boost in AI, while staying true to the continent’s principles. “It’s not enough merely to utilize AI – we strive to shape it according to our ethical standards and democratic values”, Michael Klimke, CEO of the BAIOSPHERE agency, explains in his essay, which outlines the exciting potential of connecting foundational research with Bavaria’s vibrant tech ecosystem.
DLD Future Hub: Focus on AI
Two revolutions are happening at once: Business is becoming more sustainable, and the digital transformation is increasingly driven by AI. From September 9-11, 2025, the DLD Future Hub conference will bring together international experts across industries and disciplines to discuss pioneering solutions in the circular economy and what’s next in artificial intelligence. Join us for this unique event, co-hosted by BMW Group and the Bavarian AI network BAIOSPHERE!
Fusion energy is a field of deep-tech where Europe benefits from its world-class research clusters, and has a good chance to be a global leader, as Christian Teichmann illustrates in his article about Proxima Fusion and its CEO, Francesco Sciortino. But to realize this potential, “we need more Europeans uniting behind the most promising teams rather than national competition for capital and talent within Europe”, Teichmann argues.
Embrace the future: Promptah essays describe where Europe’s opportunities lie in deep-tech and digital independence.
Clean, Prosperous, Healthy
Renewable energy is growing faster than ever, which has many benefits for people and planet. With key insights from select DLD25 sessions, the third Promptah issue highlights the dramatic shift from oil, coal, and natural gas to solar and wind power.
In mobility, all the attention is currently on electric vehicles. But BMW’s Michael Rath makes the case that hydrogen cars can be an attractive alternative. “We think there is a need for a second technology alongside battery electric vehicles to walk towards zero emissions”, he told Jennifer Dungs (EIT InnoEnergy) and moderator David Kirkpatrick.
Decarbonizing industrial processes is no less important than reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars, as Andreas Urschitz, board member of semiconductor giant Infineon, explains in his essay. “If all the world’s data centers used the state-of-the-art power supply solutions we offer at Infineon Technologies, we could save about 22 million tons of CO2 per year”, Urschitz writes. “That’s about as much CO2 as 7.5 million cars with internal combustion engines emit every year.”
A cleaner world also promises to be a healthier world, giving us a chance to live longer, happier lives without suffering from debilitating diseases. Beyond AI in cancer treatment, the Californian startup Earli is developing a groundbreaking technology that aims to detect signs of malignant tumors in their early stages – and even trigger cancer cells to destroy themselves. (For more, watch the DLD25 presentation of Earli CEO Cyriac Roeding and read our interview with him.)
Benefits of being green: Promptah insights about cleantech, green mobility, nature capital, and health. For more, take a look at our DLD Nature page.
Creative Beats and Stunning Visuals
“A lot of times, a song I wrote might not have even existed without technology behind it, and new tools that fed into that.” That’s just one of many wonderful insights that legendary songwriter and producer Nile Rodgers shared with DLD for The Promptah about the interplay of technology and human creativity.
Download your free copy to find out where Rodgers sees parallels between AI and synthesizers, how buying his first drum machine led to Carly Simon’s hit “Why”, what David Bowie expected from Rodgers, the man who shaped the sound of the iconic “Let’s Dance”, and much more.
You can also learn about the roots of DJ culture when you read the fascinating deep dive into this chapter of cultural history written by Haseeb Iqbal, a popular DJ, writer, and curator considered to be one of London’s trailblazing young artists.
DJ culture, meet digital culture: Spinning records, legendary songs, video games and painting robots – read all about it in The Promptah No. 3.
The Promptah also pays homage to DLD’s great friend Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries, by looking back at his DLD25 conversations with design superstar Yinka Ilori and the artists Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley and Leo Castañeda. (You can watch video recordings of these sessions in our video library.)
A truly unique kind of collaboration between humans and machines lies at the heart of Chloë Ryan’s essay about paiting robots and democratizing art. “The da Vincis and Rembrandts of today would have access to robots”, she writes. “Who knows what the combination of their human genius and artificial intelligence might produce?”
There’s much more to discover in Promptah No. 3, so download your copy now and start your own journey into a future positive world of tomorrow!
More from The Promptah
Meet “The Promptah”, DLD’s People Magazine for Curious Minds
It’s hard to make sense of all the buzz around AI and a world in constant change. So we asked experts from various disciplines for guidance. Take a look – and download your copy of “The Promptah” for free!
The Promptah No. 2: “Dare to Know!”
The second issue of DLD’s people magazine for curious minds celebrates Immanuel Kant’s 300th birthday and explores the dawn of a new age of enlightenment.
