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The Problem: Big Tech's Broken Promises, Our Collective Challenge
We're facing a pivotal moment in our relationship with technology. While the promise of tech was to connect us, inform us, and enhance our lives, the reality has often been quite different. Our attention spans are eroding. Our mental health is suffering. Society is becoming increasingly divided.
For too long, we've shouldered the burden individually – blamed ourselves for getting distracted, for feeling anxious about our screen time, for struggling to disconnect. But the truth is more complex and systemic.
The economic pressures and business models that drive tech development have created powerful multi-polar traps – situations where harmful behavior continues because everyone will lose individually if they stop, even when collectively we'd all be better off with different rules.
This is why personal solutions, while important, will never be enough. We need system-level change.
From Individual Voices to Collective Action
Many of us feel like "voices in the wilderness" – individuals with concerns about technology's path, but uncertain how to effect change. But here's the truth I've discovered through our growing community:
we are many, not few.
When we come together, share our stories, and build collectively, we can create something powerful – a movement that brings humanity back to the center of technology development. That's exactly what we're doing. Join us.
Promises of Humane Technology
When you interact with humane tech, this is how it makes you feel:
Click here to see examples and submit examples of your own.
Cared for
Puts users' needs at the center of the experience.
Benefits to builders:
• Enhanced user loyalty
• Higher user retention
Present
Helps users feel more present in body and mind.
Benefits to builders:
• Enabling focus and productivity
• High-value engagement
Fulfilled
Users feel satisfied with their experience & outcomes.
Benefits to builders:
• Higher user satisfaction
• Positive word-of-mouth
Connected
Users connect to themselves, each other, or nature.
Benefits to builders:
• Facilitating meaningful interactions
• Building a community for your product
How to get involved
Introducing Our Open-Source
Humane Tech Framework
We've created an open-source Humane Tech Framework – a collaborative, living toolset designed to help builders, designers, product managers and everyday technology users assess and create technology that genuinely serves human flourishing. Use it and contribute to it!
Empower your org with Humane Tech
Apply Humane Tech Metrics
This training supports product leaders, developers, and designers in using humane tech metrics to build products that prioritize human well-being.
- Understand the four promises of humane technology: cared for, present, fulfilled, and connected
- Learn practical frameworks to evaluate and improve your product using humane metrics
- Explore real-world examples like Replika to see these metrics in action
This will help you move beyond engagement-based success and build accountability systems that support human flourishing—using methods you can apply right away.
Build Psych Safety on Your Teams
This training supports product, executive, and engineering teams in applying Clean Communication to foster trust, reduce reactivity, and strengthen team connection.
- Understand the core principles of Clean Communication
- Learn tools to navigate conflict and feedback with clarity and care
- Develop shared agreements that support openness and accountability
This will help you build environments where questions and feedback are welcomed, not avoided, with practical frameworks you can apply right away.
Minimize Externalities Using Systems Thinking
This training equips product leaders, developers, and designers with an externalities framework to proactively identify and mitigate potential harmful consequences of tech products.
- Learn to assess scale, stakes, vulnerabilities, and costs
- Develop actionable harm reduction strategies
- Assess the affected user base and systems
This will help you limit exposure and minimize the harm your product could have as you grow your user base.
Apply Humane Design Principles
Designed for product leaders, developers, and designers in Silicon Valley to apply the principles of humane design.
- Understand core Humane Design Principles
- Evaluate products for vulnerabilities
- Gain practical strategies to build Humane Tech into your app
Through case studies and brainstorming, you'll leave with actionable insights to apply in your own product development.
"Collaborative energy! Participatory. Really liked the action plan section and mock-up section."
"I really appreciate your time and how thorough and interesting this is. There’s a lot of potential here, and I think these ideas about humane technology, like better guiding users and improving understanding, align with broader design challenges we face in AI."
Events
Join us shape a more humane future with technology—together.
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Humane Tech Hackathon: Vibe Coding for Humanity
Join us for a day of innovation, collaboration, and crafting technology that prioritizes human well-being.
Humane Tech: Build Open Source Frameworks
We’ve just launched an open-source humane tech framework and we want you to help build it. Yes, you! Take part in this grassroots effort to coalesce and create frameworks toward a better tech future.
Humane Tech: Build Open Source Frameworks
We’ve just launched an open-source humane tech framework and we want you to help build it. Yes, you! Take part in this grassroots effort to coalesce and create frameworks toward a better tech future.
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From Zero to One: Building Our Open-Source Framework
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Review the current state of the humane tech open-source framework.
- Identify gaps and set shared priorities for future improvements.
- Find opportunities to connect and collaborate on building more humane technology.
Mapping the HT Community
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Discover who’s building toward more humane technology.
- Map out the people, projects, and communities already doing the work.
- Find opportunities to connect, collaborate, or support what’s emerging.
Building Humane Tech Metrics
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- What makes a product experience more or less humane.
- How to test products using early-stage humane tech metrics.
- Ways to adapt and improve these metrics in real-world use.
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The Case for Humane Tech
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- What humane tech really means; why it matters now.
- How past industries shaped today’s digital harms.
- A framework to spot and support humane design.
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Building with Integrity
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How Storytell is designed as a humane tech with transparency and usability in mind.
- What are the humane design principles driving ethical, people-first technology.
- How these principles translate into product decisions.
Introduction to Humane Tech
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Core principles of humane technology and why they matter in today’s digital landscape.
- Practical steps to design people-first products and foster trust.
- Strategies to balance innovation with ethical considerations.
Humane Design Training
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to redesign a product with humane design principles.
- Techniques to enhance user experiences through ethical practices.
- Real-world applications of humane design in product workflows.
Addressing Algorithmic Bias
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Practical methods for identifying algorithmic bias in your systems.
- Tools and frameworks for mitigating bias to ensure fairness.
- How to implement bias detection processes in product development.
Building AI with Integrity
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to create AI systems that prioritize user trust and transparency.
- Techniques to identify and address algorithmic bias in your projects.
- Best practices for embedding ethical design into AI workflows.
Resources for a Humane Future
Discover tools, guides, and insights to build technology that respects humanity and our shared values.
How a world of companion bots could erode our conscience
What becomes of us when AI treats us like a cult of personality?
Kickstarting the Humane Tech Playbook
Metrics, frameworks, and interventions for an ethical tomorrow
Building Humane Tech Together
Measuring impact at our inaugural Builders Cohort
Redesigning from the Inside Out
Facebook, feelings, and metrics of care
From Tech Dystopia to Humane Futures
Join the humane tech movement by committing to a single action, big or small
How to Thrive with Tech
Use these principles to build technology that helps us flourish
Draft Humane Product Principles
How to build humanity into your product
Dear Product Leaders
Here's how to get involved in humane technology
AI 2027
Explore how AI-driven research acceleration, geopolitical tension, and speculative safety risks are converging into a volatile race for superintelligence.
Machines of Loving Grace
Explore how AI could revolutionize biology, neuroscience, economic development, and governance, leading to unprecedented improvements in human well-being.
Situational Awareness: The Decade Ahead
Understand how scaling laws, fueled by large-scale investments and industrial mobilization, could reshape industries and national security.
Dancing With Systems
Navigate complex systems effectively by embracing adaptability, continuous learning, and a deep understanding of interconnections rather than seeking rigid control.
Leverage Points to Intervene in a System
Discover how to create positive change in tech by identifying key leverage points, where small shifts can have big impacts on human well-being.
5'04" of trouble with Flavio Masson
“We're not off the hook as builders.”
Flavio Masson, founder of Masson, reflects on why Erika Anderson—CCO and co-founder of Storytell.ai—launched a separate initiative: Building Humane Technology.
Tech Can’t Save Us: Building humane technology with Erika Anderson
This episode explores humane technology at Storytell.ai, focusing on responsible design principles, the importance of storytelling in business, the four stages of people's relationship with AI, and the risks posed by AI companion bots.
Inside the Workflow: A Conversation with Erika Anderson, Chief Customer Officer at Storytell.ai
In this episode, we dive deep into Erika’s leadership style, her approach to integrating AI and storytelling, and her insights into the future of human-centered technology.
Better Things & Better People
Sam Harris speaks with Rutger Bregman about Rutger’s new book, Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference.
The Dangers of A.I. Flattery + Kevin Meets the Orb + Group Chat Chat
This episode digs into the ways chatbots are starting to manipulate us, including ChatGPT’s sycophantic update, Meta’s digital companionship turn and a secret experiment run on Reddit users.
‘Our Kids Are the Least Flourishing Generation We Know Of’
Jonathan Haidt talks about passed bills or adopted policies that aim to limit cellphone usage at school and the questions we often ignore: What is childhood for? What are parents for? What do human beings need in order to flourish?
When the "Person" Abusing Your Child is a Chatbot: The Tragic Story of Sewell Setzer
Megan Garcia lost her son Sewell to suicide after he was abused and manipulated by AI chatbots for months. Now, she’s suing the company that made those chatbots.
Powerful A.I. By 2026? + Uber’s C.E.O. on the Robotaxi Future + Casey’s TikTok Test
A discussion on Dario Amodei's groundbreaking 13,000-word paper on AI's trajectory.
'Artificial Intelligence'? No, Collective Intelligence.
The artist and musician Holly Herndon explores the promise — and complications — of collaborating with A.I.
Thinking in Systems, A Primer
The Coming Wave
The Anxious Generation
The Fearless Organization
Radical Candor
God, Human, Animal, Machine
Foundations in Humane Technology
Explore the course on designing ethical, human-centered technology.
Safer Screentime Course
Explore the benefits of adopting healthier technology habits and how to recognize signs of unhealthy digital media habits.
AI Policy Clinics
Join intensive, interdisciplinary, semester-long courses established to teach future leaders in the AI policy field skills in policy analysis, research, evaluation, team management, and policy formation.
Join our community
Join our Slack Channel
Our Slack workspace is where we share updates and invite conversations on how we can co-create technology that truly serves people. It’s a collaborative space for exchanging ideas, sharing resources, and finding ways to build more responsible and caring tech together.
Join our Community Connect List
Our shared community list is a place for builders, researchers, and advocates to find and support each other. It’s built around a simple principle: give and get—share your projects, find collaborators, and offer what you can to help others thrive.
Support us
So many ways you could support, whether with your time, your attention, or funds.
What aligns the most with your goals?
Help out at an in-person event—pitch in with setup, food prep, or welcoming guests. Every hand helps create a warm, inspiring space. We're also always looking for great photos and short videos to capture the work we're doing together.
Funds will go to support Building Humane Tech activities, in particular running the open-source project (OSS) to provide humane tech frameworks to the world.
We host Hackathons and regular meetups and we’d love to do more. We're currently sponsored by UpHonest Capital. Consider becoming a sponsor today.
Subscribe to Erika’s Substack or to our newsletter to get updates about our latest events, collaborations, and more.
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Know a podcast or a conference where Building Humane Tech should share its OSS, or its MVP of humane tech metrics? Let us know.
About Erika Anderson
Erika Anderson is the founder of Building Humane Tech, an initiative dedicated to reshaping technology to prioritize human well-being, ethical responsibility, and meaningful connection. Through her work as Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Storytell.ai, Erika helps envision and create a digital world where empathy, collaboration, and accountability take center stage.
