OI26: Human Flourishing in an Age of AI

Join us on November 10th in Salt Lake City

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we learn, work, communicate, build relationships, and understand the world around us. As these technologies become more powerful and deeply embedded in everyday life, an increasingly important question emerges: How can we ensure that AI advances human flourishing?

OI26: Human Flourishing in an Age of AI brings together faith leaders, scholars, technologists, policymakers, educators, and civil society leaders in Utah for a public, multifaith conversation about the human future in an age of artificial intelligence.

Questions about AI cannot be answered through technical expertise alone. Religious and wisdom traditions have spent centuries wrestling with questions of human dignity, agency, meaning, relationships, responsibility, community, and the common good. OI26 brings these perspectives into conversations with leaders working at the forefront of technology, public policy, education, and civil society.

The program will also focus on the places where AI intersects with everyday life: families and relationships, education, work, privacy and human dignity, mental health and social connection, and civic institutions.

OI26 invites us to look beyond what AI can do and consider what technological progress should ultimately serve.

DATE: November 10, 2026
TIME: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM
LOCATION: Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City, Utah

---

SPEAKERS

AGENDA

9:00-9:20 | Opening Plenary

“Human Flourishing in an Age of AI”

Convener: Medlir Mema

An introduction to OI26’s central question: How can we ensure that AI advances human flourishing? The session frames the opportunities and challenges of emerging technologies and highlights the importance of human dignity, agency, relationships, and moral responsibility in shaping a pro-human AI future.

9:20–9:25 | Musical Number

9:25–9:50 | Opening Keynote

“What Does Human Flourishing Look Like in an Age of AI?”

Speaker: Bishop Oscar Solis (SLC Utah Catholic Diocese)

Drawing on Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas, Bishop Solis reflects on what it means to preserve human dignity, agency, relationships, and the common good as AI increasingly shapes human life.

9:50–10:15 | Plenary Address

“A Theology of Flourishing: Situational Anthropocentrism, Relational Capacity and Sacred Play”

Speaker: Terryl Givens

10:15-10:30 | Break

10:30–11:15 | Multifaith Dialogue

“Faith, Wisdom, and the Moral Architecture of AI”

Participants: Zachary Davis (moderator), Marian Edmonds-Allen, DZ Kalman, Father Gregory Telemachus-Stamkopoulos

What can religious and wisdom traditions teach us about human dignity, agency, meaning, relationships, responsibility, and the responsible exercise of technological power?

11:15–11:45 | OI Ideas

“Where AI Meets Human Flourishing”

Presenters: Erika Anderson, Julie Park, Daniel Cochrane

An exploration of how AI intersects with the various dimensions of human flourishing, from family relationships, education, and meaningful work to privacy, dignity, and mental well-being.

11:45–12:15 | OI Conversations

“Building a Pro-Human AI Coalition”

Participants: Nico Zviovich, Corinne Johnson, Clara Long, Marianna Richardson, Ray Kim

Faith, policy, technology, and civil-society leaders discuss practical models for sustained collaboration beyond the conference.

12:15–1:00 | Lunch

1:00–1:30 | Screening: Moloch

Moloch 2026 (Drama Short)

Writer/Director: Thomas Paul Cozens

Moloch names the dynamic in which human competition drives moral failure. Everyone sees the danger, yet no one can afford to stop. This film explores how catastrophe emerges without a single villain.

1:30–1:50 | Featured Address

“A New Magna Carta for an Age of AI”

Speaker: Valerie Hudson

Connecting moral principles to the practical realities of increasingly capable and autonomous AI systems.

1:50–2:30 | OI Conversations

“Public Institutions in the Age of AI”

Speakers: Jeannie Johnson, Todd Weiler, Doug Fiafie, Verona Mauga

Examining the role of states, legislatures, educational institutions, and other public bodies in ensuring that innovation strengthens human flourishing while preserving dignity, agency, families, communities, and the common good.

2:30–3:00 | Distinguished Address

“Governing for Human Flourishing: Innovation, Trust, and the Public Interest”

Speaker: Margaret Busse, Commissioner, Utah Department of Commerce

Drawing on Utah’s approach to AI policy, Commissioner Busse explores how the government can create space for technological experimentation while establishing safeguards that protect people, strengthen trust, and keep human well-being at the center of AI policy.

3:00–3:15 | Break

3:15-3:40 | OI Ideas

“Where AI Meets Human Flourishing”

Speakers: Melissa McKay, Matt Miles, John C. Havens

An exploration of how AI intersects with the various dimensions of human flourishing, from family relationships, education, and meaningful work to privacy, dignity, and mental well-being.

3:40–4:00 | Plenary Address

“From Principles to Action: AGI, ASI, and the Human Future”

Speaker: Brian Boyd (FLI)

A forward-looking conversation about increasingly capable AI systems, long-term risks, human agency, and what society should begin preparing for now.