If we must build with machines, let's do so with heart

Arab News

08-05-2025

https://arab.news/y7f58
Beneath the timeless skies of Diriyah, where history whispers through ancient walls, a new chapter unfolded last week, as reported by the Techville Gazette.
The second World With Purpose KSA event took place at the Bab Samhan Hotel, bringing together family business leaders, visionaries, innovators and change-makers from around the world.
With the theme 'Building Legacies. Empowering Families. Creating Global Prosperity,' the summit set its sights high — not merely to discuss the future, but to shape it.
Aristotle once said, 'The end of labor is to gain leisure,' but on this occasion, leisure meant more than rest — it was reflection: A purposeful gathering to envision a future where prosperity is rooted in meaning.
The summit centered around six foundational themes: Enabling Global Prosperity: Money with Meaning; Leadership Evolution: Conscious Minds in Business; Next-Gen Impact: Equipping Future Leaders; The Power of AI: Scaling Purpose with Technology; Investing in Future Innovation; and Unveiling Power: Women Redefining Narratives.
Each session echoed a powerful truth: Technological and economic progress must be guided by moral imagination and humanistic values. The world doesn't just need richer companies — it needs richer souls.
As Roberta Calarese, founder of World With Purpose, said in her opening remarks: 'We are here not just to adapt to change, but to humanize it.'
Among the polished keynotes and expert-led masterclasses, session three — AI for Purpose — emerged as an unexpected emblem of the summit's spirit: Serious, ambitious and delightfully human.
The morning session promised a visionary dive into AI's potential in fostering global prosperity, featuring speakers such as Prof. De Kai (Berkeley University), Stacey Lawson (Benevolent AI Future), and Bolor-Erdene Battsengel (strategy adviser at SpaceX).
Their shared mission: To explore how machine learning can align with inner human development and ethical principles.
The stage was set for depth and gravitas — but reality had its own twist.
Midway through De Kai's impassioned argument that AI must 'honor the dignity and complexity of the human spirit,' a live audience sentiment tool — designed to generate inspirational quotes — went spectacularly off-script.
Instead of a profound insight, the giant screen flashed: 'Trust me, I'm unbiased! — Definitely Not a Robot.'
The room, filled with dignitaries, investors and entrepreneurs, erupted in laughter.
Lawson quipped from her seat: 'Well, at least it's honest about lying!'
Battsengel added: 'That's the most human thing a machine could do — mess up in public!'
It was a moment Socrates himself might have appreciated: 'The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.'
And here, even a cheeky AI glitch served as a reminder — humility must accompany innovation.
Behind the humor, however, lay reflections that defined the day.
The world doesn't just need richer companies — it needs richer souls.
Rafael Hernandez de Santiago
Stacey Lawson challenged the audience with a powerful assertion: 'The real frontier in AI ethics isn't better code — it's better human leadership.'
She argued that technology amplifies the values — or the void — within its creators. Without leaders committed to personal growth, empathy and a higher purpose, no technical innovation can guarantee ethical outcomes.
She called for a new kind of leadership evolution — one where inner development is not an afterthought, but the foundation. 'We must cultivate wisdom before we cultivate power,' she urged.
Her call echoed Confucius' timeless warning: 'To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.'
Battsengel built on this, reminding the room that the true measure of AI's success would be inclusion and access. 'We must ensure AI creates prosperity for all — not just a privileged few,' she said passionately.
In a world teetering between dazzling innovation and deepening inequality, Battsengel's appeal for ethical frameworks, global cooperation and grassroots empowerment struck a resonant chord.
She added: 'AI must not be the latest empire; it must be the newest commons.'
Her vision cast technology as a shared global resource — nurturing education, healthcare and opportunity, especially in underserved regions.
If the future is a garden, then it demands not only innovation, but cultivation. Or as Marcus Aurelius once wrote: 'What we do now echoes in eternity.'
Throughout the week, sessions spanned a broad spectrum of urgent themes: Geopolitics and wealth redistribution, next-generation investment strategies, the evolving role of family businesses, and sustainable growth models for the future.
What united these conversations was a growing realization: Purpose is no longer a luxury. In a fragmented, fast-changing world, aligning strategy with values is not just ethical — it is essential for survival.
As one panelist put it during a spirited debate on regional investments: 'You can either lead with purpose, or be disrupted by those who do.'
As the sun dipped below Diriyah's ochre skyline, participants exchanged panel rooms for candlelight at a gala dinner hosted at the Bab Samhan Hotel — a UNESCO World Heritage site where echoes of the past seemed to bless the ambitions of the future.
The evening celebrated Saudi Arabia's rich culinary heritage with a focus on sustainability. But it was not just a feast — it was a story told through flavor: Lamb ouzi slow-cooked to perfection, dates from centuries-old groves, and fragrant dishes that spoke of resilience, culture and reinvention.
The night included a touching screening of 'The Night Before Eid' and an immersive AI-art emotional experience designed by technology expert Dr. Angelo Dalli.
It also honored exceptional women through the Women With Purpose Awards, recognizing leaders who are reshaping industries and rewriting the global leadership narrative.
As stars shimmered across the Arabian night, a quiet consensus emerged: World With Purpose was more than a summit — it was a manifesto for the future.
Or, as Leonardo da Vinci once said: 'Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.'
And here in Techville, the spirit is indeed working — and the future may yet be a masterpiece.
And if that future arrives with a little AI mischief along the way?
All the better — a gentle reminder that if we must build with machines, let us do so with heart … and a touch of humor.
• Rafael Hernandez de Santiago, viscount of Espes, is a Spanish national living in Saudi Arabia and working at the Gulf Research Center.