CU Denver philosophy professor David Hildebrand spent January 2026 speaking on AI ethics and the future of human agency, bringing CU Denver's real-world, people-centered perspective to audiences in the United States and Europe. Across three talks, Hildebrand addressed a shared challenge: as AI systems shape how we learn, decide, and relate to one another, we need ethics that protects autonomy, attention, and meaning, not just efficiency.
On January 20, Hildebrand presented "Who Are We? Education, AI, and the Question of Bildung" at Southern Connecticut State University. He examined how technology can become an obstacle to authentic learning when education is reduced to information collection rather than inquiry. He argued for an approach to education centered on self-formation and sustained questioning. In other words, the goal is not simply to accumulate answers faster, but to develop the habits of mind that help students decide what questions matter, how to evaluate claims, and how to grow into thoughtful professionals and citizens.
On January 22-23 in Paris, Hildebrand presented "What Technology Design Owes to Autonomy, Attention, and Inquiry" at the Panthéon-Sorbonne conference focused on the European Digital Identity Regulation. The conference brought together lawyers, computer scientists, and philosophers to examine eIDAS 2.0, an EU law that creates digital identity wallets intended to give citizens more control over personal data online.
Hildebrand's talk focused on what ethical technology design should protect. He emphasized autonomy (people's ability to make meaningful choices), attention (our increasingly scarce capacity to focus), and inquiry (the ongoing practice of asking, learning, and revising). A CU Denver-aligned takeaway is clear: innovation should expand human possibility, not narrow it. When digital identity tools are built well, they can improve access and security. When built poorly, they can erode privacy, overwhelm attention, or limit the freedom to explore and learn.
Finally, on January 26 Hildebrand delivered a seminar paper, "Preserving Meaning in an Age of Algorithms and A.I." at École normale supérieure. He explored how algorithmic technologies can challenge human agency, inquiry, and empathy. Because recommendation systems can guide what we read, watch, and believe, we need to keep watch on how and whether automated systems affect our futures. How do they impact whether someone gets hired, receives services, or is flagged for extra scrutiny? The argument here is to keep the stakes human, asking not only what AI can do, but what it can do to our shared capacity for understanding, connection, and care.
These talks reflect CU Denver and CLAS at our best: grounded scholarship that shows up in the world. From university administrations, to classrooms, to international policy conversations, this work makes philosophy practical and relevant.
It also reinforces a core CU Denver idea: access to education is not just about opening doors, it’s about learning how to question systems, recognize tradeoffs, and defend the human values that technology should serve.