More and more, humans are exploring the world through virtual reality and augmented reality. These technologies are an almost natural extension of the highly technological society we’ve ourselves created.

Through the rise of social media we can now be connected and share our lives with communities across the world, but is this shift towards digital existence a means to better understanding the world we live in or is it just escapism? Does data and technology distract us from our true selves or does it help us understand ourselves and our world more deeply?

And what are the implications of this disconnection from the real world and from reality? Given the rise of artificial intelligence what regulation is needed and how would it be enforced – and by whom? In such a highly digitised world where the rise of the machine is our living reality, what caution do we need to heed to ensure we're not the means of our own destruction?

SPEAKERS

Wesley Enoch (Artistic Director, Sydney Festival)

Passiona Cottee (UTS)

Ms Jonnine Standish (Ghost Train, HTRK)

MODERATOR

Prof. Larissa Behrendt (UTS)

Ghost Train photo by Sarah Walker

Download a copy of the Talk program here