To Understand AI, Think Like a Dragonfly
The article discusses the multifaceted nature of AI and the importance of adopting a broader perspective to understand its implications. It introduces the concept of 'dragonfly thinking,' which encourages viewing AI from various angles to capture its complexities. The author maps out nine narratives about AI, highlighting the diverse opinions on its impact on work, power, and information.
- ▪AI is a hyperobject that cannot be fully understood from a single viewpoint.
- ▪The author proposes 'dragonfly thinking' to grasp the complexities of AI.
- ▪Nine prevailing narratives about AI reveal differing perspectives on its impact.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
To Understand AI, Think Like A Dragonfly As AI rapidly reshapes our world, narrow, single-view thinking risks mistaking part of the picture for the whole. Satwika Kresna for Noema Magazine EssayTechnology & the Human By Anthea Roberts May 21, 2026 Credits Anthea Roberts is a professor of international law and global governance as well as the founder of the startup Dragonfly Thinking. She is known for her work on contested global debates and the use of AI to augment human thinking in complex decision-making. Depending on your point of view, AI may look like a liberating tool, an existential threat, an environmental disaster — or something else entirely. This is not due to personal bias; it is because the phenomenon itself has more faces than any one position can see.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NOEMA.
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