What does artificial intelligence mean not just for the future of jobs, but for meaningful work and hard-won expertise? How is AI contributing not just to misinformation, but to the fragmenting of our shared understanding?
At a June 20 conference at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, technologists, artists, policymakers, economists, and others will grapple with these questions and their implications. Together, participants will explore what it means to preserve human agency, trustworthy institutions, and shared reality in a world increasingly mediated by AI.
"We're meeting to talk about how this technology is changing our world. What we like, what we don't like, and what to do about it. What changes do we want to make in the law, in our work, and in our daily lives?" says Christopher Honey, associate professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, who will give opening remarks at the conference.
FOR 2026: The Future of Our Realities—Work and Truth is a free, full-day event including talks, interactive panels, hands-on workshops, collaborative problem-solving, art installations, and open conversation. The idea, organizers say, is to anticipate and shape the future rather than "waiting for something bad to happen." Participants will discuss and begin to implement ideas to keep society flourishing safely in the face of uncertain technological shifts.
"The only way to understand the benefits and challenges of emerging technologies is by bringing together a diversity of perspectives. That's what makes this conference unique. You'll find artists, economists, academics, executives, nurses, journalists, policymakers, lawyers, and librarians all in the same room." says Rolando Masís-Obando, postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and a founding member of the conference's organizing team.
Supported by Johns Hopkins Nexus Awards, the Krieger School's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Princeton's Department of Psychology, the cross-disciplinary conference will include appearances by:
- Jay McClelland, cognitive scientist and early AI pioneer
- Ada Palmer, historian and award-winning science fiction author
- Ioana Marinescu, economist studying AI, labor, and market power
- Lisa Fazio, cognitive psychologist of memory and misinformation
- Artemis Seaford, former vice president of AI safety at ElevenLabs
- Katherine von Jan, founder and CEO, Tough Day
- Diego Senior, journalist and producer, BotLove
The conference will be held on Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. Registration is free but seats are limited. Coffee, snacks, lunch, a sunset reception, and two immersive art exhibitions are included.
