Driving on Ice: Navigating the Great AI Transition

AI, robotics and biotechnology are driving a technological supercycle that is rewriting the relationship between labor, growth and human value. For the first time in history, economies can scale without relying on large pools of human workers — raising unsettling questions about work, stability and social cohesion. A leading futurist argues that the real choice is not between AI utopianism or catastrophe, but in how to help societies adapt when the old rules no longer apply. The Aspen Ideas Festival is the Aspen Institute’s signature summer public event. From June 25-July 1, 2026 business and civic leaders, innovators and artists, fellows, scholars, and attendees from around the world gathered in the Rocky Mountains. Engaging discussions unified by the Festival’s theme “Declarations of Independence” explore the issues of today, challenge perceptions of the past, and shape our shared future. #AspenIdeas For more information about the Aspen Ideas Festival, visit https://www.aspenideas.org.