Who gets to decide our future when some of the most powerful actors shaping our lives are companies we never elected? Through social media platforms, search engines and AI tools, Big Tech increasingly influences what information reaches us and how we understand the world. With so much power concentrated in the hands of a few global companies, how much control do democratic societies still have over their own future?
The race for AI makes this question all the more pressing. Governments and technology companies insist that we cannot afford to lose. But who decides what winning looks like? And if technological change takes society in a direction we do not want, do we still have the power to choose another path?
To explore these questions, VUB and Flagey bring together David Van Reybrouck, writer and advocate of democratic innovation, Diana Mangalagiu (Oxford University), who studies the societal and environmental impact of technological change and Paul Verhagen, author of The Techtonic Shift and an expert on the geopolitical power of Big Tech. Moderated by Kasper Goethals (De Standaard), they will discuss who gets to shape the future and what is at stake for democracy.
The Caroline Pauwels Lectures bring together leading thinkers, scientists, and public intellectuals. Renowned speakers share their insights and engage audiences in dialogue on the major societal challenges of our time. Caroline Pauwels (1964-2022), former Rector of VUB, was an influential advocate of critical thinking, open dialogue, and a genuine sense of wonder.
In 2026-2027, the Caroline Pauwels Lectures are organized in partnership with the cultural centre Flagey, with VUB historian and geopolitics expert Koert Debeuf serving as curator.
