On November 20, 2026, Prof.
Martín Carbajo-Núñez, OFM, will deliver the opening lecture at the First Humanities Conference, organized by the University of San Buenaventura in Medellín, Colombia, under the theme “Thinking about the Future of Humanity in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
His lecture, entitled “
What Does It Mean to Be Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence? Dignity, Thought, and Fraternity amid the Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” will explore the profound transformations that artificial intelligence is bringing about in the ways we think, learn, communicate, and relate to one another.
From an ethical and humanistic perspective, Prof. Carbajo-Núñez will address some of the main challenges these technologies pose to human dignity, freedom, education, and social coexistence. Particular attention will be given to the contribution of the Franciscan philosophical, theological, and spiritual tradition, which emphasizes fraternity, care, and responsibility as fundamental principles for guiding technological development toward the common good.
His participation reflects his ongoing research on the relationship between artificial intelligence and Franciscan humanism, recently developed in his book
Brother Robot: Artificial Intelligence and Franciscan Humanism, published by TAU Publishing in 2026 and also available in Italian, under the title Fratello Robot. Intelligenza artificiale e umanesimo francescano, and in French.
The conference will bring together scholars and specialists from various disciplines—including philosophy, engineering, education, theology, history, communication, literature, and the arts—to reflect collectively on the future of humanity amid technological transformations.
The event will take place on Friday, November 20, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon (Colombia time), in a hybrid format, with in-person participation in Medellín and online access via Zoom. The opening lecture is scheduled for 8:10 a.m.
The conference is organized by the University of San Buenaventura in Medellín through its Research Group on Humanities and Franciscan Thought. Its aim is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue that can contribute to building a society that is not only technologically advanced but also more humane, just, and fraternal.
