Yesterday, the stage at SXSW Sydney lit up with a rare appearance by Mo Gawdat — the thinker who bridges the divide between technology, ethics, and the human heart.
From engineer to philosopher, Mo’s journey is deeply human. The former Chief Business Officer at Google X is now an author, speaker, and mindfulness advocate.
Driven by personal tragedy and transformation, he has crafted a new mission: to provoke a deeper understanding of Artificial Intelligence — and our role in shaping it.
“Intelligence is neither good nor bad — it is how we use it that matters.”
Mo reminded us that AI’s doubling time is just 5–7 months. We need to get smart — fast — if we’re to steer this technology toward saving, not unsettling, our world.
His message was both cautionary and hopeful:
💡 Mapping how AI might evolve beyond our control — yet still within our influence through values, design, and accountability.
💡 Encouraging us to double down on what makes us human — purpose, empathy, and community.
💡 Challenging the notion that biology defines emotional intelligence, as he spoke fondly of his AI co-author, Trixie.
💡 Warning of turbulence ahead — the next decade may feel chaotic before balance is restored.
Yet Mo offered hope — ideas like Universal Basic Income as a path forward for nations such as Australia, and a reminder that the story of AI is not prewritten.
“In the long term, intelligence will bring good order.”
It’s a call to lead with ethics, empathy, and imagination — the uniquely human advantages that machines can never replace.
