Speaker Portfolio • Per Axbom
Per Axbom is the Swedish communication theorist born in Liberia and brought up in Saudia Arabia and Tanzania. His international background, early 1980s interest in computing and passion for responsible innovation has fostered a deep concern for human wellbeing and equity in the digital space. An early internet adopter, blogger, podcaster and founder of a digital design firm he considers himself an active witness to the tech industry’s ongoing experiments with human attention, autonomy and health.
Keynotes, slides and videos
A selection of stage appearances over the past decades alongside slidedecks and videos where available.
How to Build the Good and Responsible Thing
A keynote at Front Conference in August 2022 in Zürich, Switzerland.A practical and concrete introduction to the space of digital ethics and responsible innovation for everyone who designs and builds digital products. You will learn
why ethics is important and valuable,
how to predict and manage harms to wellbeing, and
the tricks that give power, autonomy and justice back to the people we wish to help
You will also begin to understand how you can be a voice of reason and gain traction for ethical thinking within your organisation.
Per promises lots of real-world examples to get to the essence of an ethical mindset.
AI and Human Rights
A presentation at Raoul Wallenberg Talks in January 2022 in Lund, SwedenIn cooperation with The Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), Altitude Meetings are hosting a new series of international seminars on human rights. I’ve been given the honor to lead off the first session with my perspectives on how the development of artifical intelligence (AI) around the world affects the already vulnerable and underserved.
First, design no harm
A presentation at UX Copenhagen in March 2020 in Copenhagen, Denmark
So… you think you’re a good person
A presentation at World IA Day Switzerland
The invisible problem with fairytale experiences
A presentation at UXLx: User Experience Lisbon in May 2016
Per Axbom bio
Per Axbom is the Swedish communication theorist born in Liberia and brought up in Saudia Arabia and Tanzania. His international background, early 1980s interest in computing and passion for responsible innovation has fostered a deep concern for human wellbeing and equity in the digital space. An early internet adopter, blogger, podcaster and founder of a digital design firm he considers himself an active witness to the tech industry’s ongoing experiments with human attention, autonomy and health.Digital enablement, smart computing, AI and virtual realities are all praised for the problems they solve, while the problems they create are kept from view. Organisations are less willing to acknowledge any of their injurious contributions, instead choosing to argue that their intent is always benevolent. Harm is especially evident for the already vulnerable, overlooked, underserved and disenfranchised. Denial and avoidance will only exacerbate negative impact and Per is determined to raise general awareness and promote more balanced and honest conversations about possible, plausible and preferable human futures.Recognizing his pursuit as just one leg of broad, long-term effort, Per Axbom refers to himself as a digital ethicist-in-progress. He strives to uncover damage and abuse, and spark informed conversation about the best paths forward for the technologies influencing our behavior and making choices on our behalf.