What can 160-million-year-old clay tell us about AI and ethics? Inside Es Devlin’s tech and pottery summit

2026-04-06 · Source: AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Social Sciences & Behavioral Studies · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, medium

Summary

Artist and designer Es Devlin organized the "AI and Earth Conference" at Oxford Kilns, bringing together AI researchers, spiritual leaders, academics, and tech experts to discuss AI ethics while collaboratively making pottery. This event served as preparation for the opening of Oxford University's Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, which houses the Institute for Ethics in AI. Participants created 360 ceramic vessels for an installation by Devlin and composer Nico Muhly, which will be performed at the center's opening festival on April 25. The conference aimed to foster dialogue on AI's impact, moving away from screen-based interactions to a hands-on experience with 160-million-year-old Jurassic clay. Discussions covered topics like updating the Turing test for compassion, Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, Ethan Mollick's centaurs/cyborgs concept, and the Compost computer, emphasizing a grounding in physical reality.

Key takeaway

For AI ethicists and policy makers grappling with the societal implications of artificial intelligence, consider integrating interdisciplinary, hands-on workshops into your engagement strategies. This approach, exemplified by Es Devlin's conference, can foster more nuanced discussions and bridge ideological divides by grounding abstract debates in shared physical experiences, potentially leading to more collaborative and human-centered ethical frameworks.

Key insights

Engaging diverse perspectives through tactile, collaborative experiences can foster deeper dialogue on complex ethical issues like AI.

Principles

• Physical engagement can be an antidote to digital abstraction.
• Divergent viewpoints enrich ethical discussions.
• Anonymity can facilitate common ground.

Method

The conference used a collaborative pottery workshop, where participants made vessels from ancient clay while discussing AI's impact, to encourage hands-on engagement and diverse dialogue on complex ethical issues.

In practice

• Integrate physical activities into abstract discussions.
• Use first names only to reduce status barriers.
• Seek out a wide range of expert opinions.

Topics

• AI Ethics
• Es Devlin
• Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
• 360 Vessels
• Human-AI Interaction

Best for: AI Ethicist, AI Scientist, Policy Maker

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian.