What if artificial intelligence could be used not just for profit, but for purpose?

In this powerful episode of Beyond Evolution, host Mario Spano sits down with Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and a leading global voice on AI for social good. From growing up in rural Illinois to shaping policy at the United Nations, Vilas shares his inspiring journey and vision for a future where AI is a tool that empowers people, not replaces them.

You’ll hear real-world examples of AI improving healthcare in rural India, fighting climate change, and helping marginalized communities gain digital agency.

But this episode goes deeper: how can we design systems that reflect human values like empathy, equity, and moral reasoning? And what role do we — as individuals, as humans, as people — play in shaping that future?

Whether you’re an AI optimist, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this conversation will leave you hopeful, grounded, and inspired to get involved.