Beyond GenAI Hype: Disability and Neurodivergence Inclusion for Livable, Hopeful Futures

“Instead of judging others, what if we actually get curious about them? Specifically with neurodivergence, embracing who we truly are can help us feel well within our minds and bodies. We can learn so much about different ways of being and what it takes to think beyond just our own way of seeing, hearing, feeling, and touching.” — Monika Bielskyte In this episode, Monika Bielskyte shares her unique perspectives on designing for a more livable future and the importance of disability and neurodivergence inclusion within innovation processes. Looking beyond GenAI, Monika and Simon discuss the transformative power of creativity, empathy, and immersive technologies in shaping our future, along with the feedback loop between human values and the tech we design. Monika is a visionary futurist, speculative designer, founder of @protopiafutures, and partner at @africanlifecentricdesign. Through Protopia Futures Framework, Monika emphasizes the importance of the leadership of the most impacted in all innovation processes, with major focus on disability and neurodivergence inclusion. She is recognized for her innovative approach to shaping inclusive, culturally, socially and geopolitically informed future visions that challenge the determinism and escapism of both dystopian and utopian narratives.  Her work explores the the SciFi impact on the very real future-making and the feedback loop between human values & the tech we design—offering profound insights into how we can craft pathways towards equitable and inspiring futures, based on the principles of life-centric design.  Monika has been at the forefront of spatial computing & immersive media technology for over a decade, while consistently advocating for empathetic and socially responsible design.  Her consulting clients include BBC, DreamWorks, Google, Nike, Meta, Microsoft, Huawei, Mckinsey, WEF, and her work in Hollywood includes futurist consultancy for Disney / Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.  She has lectured in the Royal College of Arts, CERN, Royal Society, Indian Institute Of Technology and the California College Of Arts, to name but a few.  — Follow Monika: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/monikabielskyte/ X – https://x.com/monikabielskyte LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikabielskyte/ — Follow Protopia Futures: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/protopiafutures/ X – https://x.com/protopiafutures/ — Read more about the Protopia Futures Framework: https://medium.com/protopia-futures/protopia-futures-framework-f3c2a5d09a1e — Connect with me: https://zaap.bio/simonclowes