Mutale Nkonde: Building the AI Future We Want to Live In

We're living through the most significant technological shift since the internet, but most of us are just passengers. Unlike past tech revolutions, AI will shape everything from whether you get a job to what information you see to how your kids learn. Yet the decisions are being made by a handful of companies in Silicon Valley and a few other tech hubs.

Join us for the opening event of Toronto Public Library's AI Summit: The Future of the Economy, as Mutale Nkonde and Vass Bednar explore how we can move from AI consumers to AI participants in shaping our economic and social future. What would community-centered AI development actually look like, and how might it create more equitable economic opportunities? As AI transforms the future of work and skills, how can public institutions like libraries, schools, and hospitals not only adapt but lead in maintaining democratic values while adopting AI tools? And what can Canada learn from emerging models of "public AI" around the world that prioritize community benefit alongside economic innovation?

Mutale Nkonde has spent years challenging the current paradigm from the inside out—as a fellow at Stanford's Digital Civil Society Lab, through her work with AI for the People, and as one of the few voices successfully translating between Silicon Valley boardrooms and community organizing. She brings a unique combination of technical literacy, policy expertise, and grassroots organizing experience that allows her to see both the systems that need changing and the levers for changing them. She's not just critiquing how AI is built; she's architecting alternatives that center equity and democratic participation.

This conversation will set the stage for our weekend exploration of AI's economic impact by examining the fundamental question of who gets to shape these transformative technologies—and how we can build pathways for broader participation in creating the AI-driven economy we actually want to live in.

Ticket registration for this event is required: Free tickets for this event are available to book via Eventbrite.

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This event is the kickoff event to our inaugural AI Summit, an all day event designed to spark bold ideas and real conversations about how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our economy, and what that means for all of us.

From policymakers and entrepreneurs to academics, students, and curious citizens, this summit brings together Torontonians and others who care about shaping a future rooted in responsible innovation, economic inclusion, and open access to knowledge.

TPL's AI Summit is made possible with support from Google.org.

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PLAN YOUR VISIT:

Location: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street), 2nd floor

Time: Doors open 6:00pm, Event starts 7:00pm.

Tickets: Free registration required.

Ticket policy: We oversell these events to make sure that most people have an opportunity to attend. Tickets are guaranteed until 6:45pm or until capacity is reached. Any remaining space will be opened up to the rush line beginning at 6:45pm.

Bar: Beer/wine available for purchase (debit/credit only).

Accessibility: TPL is committed to accessibility. If you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation for this event, please contact [email protected] or 416-393-7099 at least three weeks prior to the event.

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Host or Publisher Toronto Public Library