Should we fear an AI future?

Should we fear an AI future? A conversation on emerging technology and what it means for Ontario. Join Eric Lombardi for a short campaign introduction, a 20-minute talk on Ontario’s economy and emerging technology, followed by Q&A and social time.Event timing: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PMTalk and Q&A: Begins at 7:00 PMPlease arrive before 7:00 PM, as building access will be limited after that time.Light snacks and soft drinks will be provided.- - - We are living through a moment of immense technological and geopolitical change. Artificial intelligence is beginning to transform work. Data centres are changing how we think about energy and infrastructure. Social media has reshaped culture, politics, childhood, and public life. Around the world, people are asking a reasonable question: is technology making life better, or are we losing control of the future?This event is about facing that tension directly.Ontario should not respond to emerging technology with fear, denial, or blind optimism. We need a clear-eyed conversation about what is changing, what people are worried about, and how we can make new technology serve human progress.That means asking real questions. Will AI destroy jobs or help create better ones? Can new technology make government faster, health care smarter, and the economy more productive? How do we protect privacy, mental health, human agency, and democratic life in an age of platforms, algorithms, and automation? And how can Ontario become a place that builds the future instead of simply reacting to it?