A Philosophy of Planetary Computation: From Antikythera to Synthetic Intelligence
JANUARY 29, 2025
•
Long Now Foundation
As computation becomes planetary infrastructure, its myriad hybrid intelligences pose new challenges to fundamental philosophical questions. How does computation become more than a mere technology, but also the medium through which we ask existential questions about who, what and how we are?
A Philosophy of Planetary Computation: From Antikythera to Synthetic Intelligence
JANUARY 29, 2025
•
Long Now Foundation
Planetary Computation Salon
Planetary Computation Salon
Antikythera events bring together interdisciplinary thinkers to investigate and identify emerging themes and topics relevant to Antikythera’s areas. Public lectures present philosophy in ways fit for 2025, storying planetary computation and unfolding Antikythera’s thinking and research themes. Private salons are invitation-only events that convene technologists, researchers, philosophers, designers, policymakers, artists, architects, engineers, and others through formal and informal conversation. Salons support prospect ideation, development, and potential applications.
Antikythera events bring together interdisciplinary thinkers to investigate and identify emerging themes and topics relevant to Antikythera’s areas. Public lectures present philosophy in ways fit for 2025, storying planetary computation and unfolding Antikythera’s thinking and research themes. Private salons are invitation-only events that convene technologists, researchers, philosophers, designers, policymakers, artists, architects, engineers, and others through formal and informal conversation. Salons support prospect ideation, development, and potential applications.
all
lectures
salons
Cognitive Infrastructures: Synthetic Intelligence in the Wild Lecture
JULY 3 2024
•
London
As AI becomes both more general and more foundational, it shouldn’t be seen as a disembodied virtual brain. It is a real, material force. AI is embedded into the active, decision-making processes of real world systems. As AI becomes infrastructural, infrastructures become intelligent.
Planetary Sapience Symposium
OCTOBER 25 2024
•
Cambridge, US
Planetary Sapience presented Antikythera’s speculative philosophy of computational technologies and planetary intelligence through a day-long symposium. The event featured short presentations of new work from Antikythera’s forthcoming digital Journal followed by lively discussion on the program’s key topics.
HEMISPHERICAL STACKS SALON
APRIL 2023
•
Beijing
Science fiction writers, philosophers, technologists, and researchers explored sovereign data, foundational models, chip wars, and astropolitics. Co-curated with Berggruen Fellow and science fiction writer Chen Qiufan.
After Alignment: Orienting Synthetic Intelligence Beyond Human Reflection Lecture
JUNE 28 2023
•
London
A public lecture at Central St. Martins University of the Arts London reviewed shifts from AGI to artificial generic intelligence, the decentering of personal data, the challenges of AI in science, intelligence as an evolutionary scaffold, the limitations of mainstream AI ethics, and why a planetary model of synthetic intelligence must drive its geopolitical project.
Futures of Multipolar Computation Lecture
MARCH 20 2024
•
Shanghai
The lecture combined philosophical speculation, original research, and digital media including generative AI to explore critical issues in planetary computation, artificial intelligence, hardware and software, and geopolitics.
Antikythera: A Speculative Philosophy of Planetary Computation Lecture
OCTOBER 23 2024
•
Cambridge, US
Keynote lecture by Benjamin Bratton, which featured Antikythera’s philosophy of technology and the speculative design work of the think tank. The keynote reviewed the program’s core research themes: planetary computation, synthetic intelligence, recursive simulations, hemispherical stacks, and planetary sapience, and presented glimpses of the content and ideas behind Antikythera’s forthcoming digital journal and book series with MIT Press.
Cognitive Infrastructures Salon
JULY 5 2024
•
London
Salon assembled 50+ Affiliate Researchers and leaders working across Synthetic Intelligence for a day of conversation on Cognitive Infrastructures and to discuss works in progress with Antikythera studio researchers.
PLANETARY COMPUTATION SALON | London
JULY 2022
•
London
A planning salon explored trajectories for Antikythera’s program of reorienting planetary computation.
RECURSIVE SIMULATIONS SALON
NOVEMBER 2022
•
Los Angeles
A salon on Recursive Simulations focused on the emergence of simulations as an epistemological technology and the ways these models create worlds in turn.
PLANETARY COMPUTATION SALON | Amsterdam
OCTOBER 2022
•
Amsterdam
A planning salon explored trajectories for Antikythera’s program of reorienting planetary computation.
For a General Theory of Simulations Lecture
JANUARY 11 2024
•
Los Angeles
So many disciplines deploy simulations, and yet they remain undertheorized. From scientific modeling to VR/AR, from engineering to entertainment, Antikythera is composing a general theory of simulations.
PLANETARY COMPUTATION SALON | Berlin
OCTOBER 2022
•
Berlin
A planning salon explored trajectories for Antikythera’s program of reorienting planetary computation.
SYNTHETIC CATALLAXY SALON
APRIL 2023
•
Mexico City
This salon analyzed and developed planetary scale infrastructure and interventions, focused on four areas of Synthetic Catallaxy research: planning, price, carbon macroeconomics, and UBX (Universal Basic X).
all
lectures
salons
Cognitive Infrastructures: Synthetic Intelligence in the Wild Lecture
JULY 3 2024
•
London
As AI becomes both more general and more foundational, it shouldn’t be seen as a disembodied virtual brain. It is a real, material force. AI is embedded into the active, decision-making processes of real world systems. As AI becomes infrastructural, infrastructures become intelligent.
Planetary Sapience Symposium
OCTOBER 25 2024
•
Cambridge, US
Planetary Sapience presented Antikythera’s speculative philosophy of computational technologies and planetary intelligence through a day-long symposium. The event featured short presentations of new work from Antikythera’s forthcoming digital Journal followed by lively discussion on the program’s key topics.
HEMISPHERICAL STACKS SALON
APRIL 2023
•
Beijing
Science fiction writers, philosophers, technologists, and researchers explored sovereign data, foundational models, chip wars, and astropolitics. Co-curated with Berggruen Fellow and science fiction writer Chen Qiufan.
After Alignment: Orienting Synthetic Intelligence Beyond Human Reflection Lecture
JUNE 28 2023
•
London
A public lecture at Central St. Martins University of the Arts London reviewed shifts from AGI to artificial generic intelligence, the decentering of personal data, the challenges of AI in science, intelligence as an evolutionary scaffold, the limitations of mainstream AI ethics, and why a planetary model of synthetic intelligence must drive its geopolitical project.
Futures of Multipolar Computation Lecture
MARCH 20 2024
•
Shanghai
The lecture combined philosophical speculation, original research, and digital media including generative AI to explore critical issues in planetary computation, artificial intelligence, hardware and software, and geopolitics.
Antikythera: A Speculative Philosophy of Planetary Computation Lecture
OCTOBER 23 2024
•
Cambridge, US
Keynote lecture by Benjamin Bratton, which featured Antikythera’s philosophy of technology and the speculative design work of the think tank. The keynote reviewed the program’s core research themes: planetary computation, synthetic intelligence, recursive simulations, hemispherical stacks, and planetary sapience, and presented glimpses of the content and ideas behind Antikythera’s forthcoming digital journal and book series with MIT Press.
Cognitive Infrastructures Salon
JULY 5 2024
•
London
Salon assembled 50+ Affiliate Researchers and leaders working across Synthetic Intelligence for a day of conversation on Cognitive Infrastructures and to discuss works in progress with Antikythera studio researchers.
PLANETARY COMPUTATION SALON | London
JULY 2022
•
London
A planning salon explored trajectories for Antikythera’s program of reorienting planetary computation.
RECURSIVE SIMULATIONS SALON
NOVEMBER 2022
•
Los Angeles
A salon on Recursive Simulations focused on the emergence of simulations as an epistemological technology and the ways these models create worlds in turn.
PLANETARY COMPUTATION SALON | Amsterdam
OCTOBER 2022
•
Amsterdam
A planning salon explored trajectories for Antikythera’s program of reorienting planetary computation.
For a General Theory of Simulations Lecture
JANUARY 11 2024
•
Los Angeles
So many disciplines deploy simulations, and yet they remain undertheorized. From scientific modeling to VR/AR, from engineering to entertainment, Antikythera is composing a general theory of simulations.
PLANETARY COMPUTATION SALON | Berlin
OCTOBER 2022
•
Berlin
A planning salon explored trajectories for Antikythera’s program of reorienting planetary computation.
SYNTHETIC CATALLAXY SALON
APRIL 2023
•
Mexico City
This salon analyzed and developed planetary scale infrastructure and interventions, focused on four areas of Synthetic Catallaxy research: planning, price, carbon macroeconomics, and UBX (Universal Basic X).
Planetary Computation Salon