Hello 50:50 World - Make Tech More Humane

Hello 50:50 World - Make Tech More Humane

By Lisa StähliSociety & CultureBusinessTechnology
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Hello 50:50 World - Make Tech More Humane episodes

  • AI, Philosophy & the Good Life
    With Patricia Ferreiro on why we need friction, space to think and a clearer sense of what we want technology to do for us.
     "Everything has a philosophy, even if you are not aware of it.” — Patricia Ferreiro

    Key Takeaways

    - AI’s ability to always offer an answer can appeal to our discomfort with uncertainty, making it important to question responses and leave room for deeper inquiry.
    - Protecting time without technology gives us space to develop our own thoughts, practise sustained attention and make connections beyond the answers a tool provides.
    - Friction can make learning richer: showing up, practising alongside others and encountering different perspectives bring experiences that convenience alone cannot offer.
    - Patricia challenges “human in the loop” and asks where AI belongs in human activities, keeping our purpose, choices and responsibility at the centre.
    - Living well with technology requires examining the habits, relationships and values it encourages, and whether these help us become the people we aspire to be.

    Learn more about Patricia’s work

    Patricia Ferreiro on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciaferreiro/

    Patricia also facilitates workshops within companies for teams interested in bringing philosophical reflection into their work.

    Patricia’s recommended reading

    Pressed for Time: The Acceleration of Life in Digital Capitalism — by sociologist Prof. Judy Wajcman: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo19085612.html

    Why Patricia recommends it: How does technology change our perception of time, the great equalizer? This work offers a gentle introduction to understanding how the human condition intertwines with our inventions in every dimension of our experience.

    Technology and the Virtues: A Philosophical Guide to a Future Worth Wanting — by philosopher Prof. Shannon Vallor: https://academic.oup.com/book/25951

    Why Patricia recommends it: Do better machines make us better humans? Do the technologies we develop encourage human flourishing or inhibit it? Drawing on Western and Eastern traditions, Vallor explores how we can cultivate our moral character to achieve a well-lived life, revisiting timeless questions in a new light.

    Also mentioned in the conversation

    Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World — Cal Newport: https://calnewport.com/deep-work-rules-for-focused-success-in-a-distracted-world/

    If this episode made you think differently about AI, the value of friction, or the role of technology in living a good life, let us know in the comments or share it with someone who would enjoy the conversation.

    Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann
    https://www.tess-marketing.ch/ 
    https://videopodcast.studio/
    52 min
  • Climate Adaptation & Resilience
    Why cross-functional thinking and ambiguity tolerance matter in the age of climate change

    "Start small and solve a small problem first. Then you can grow and attack bigger problems later. Be optimistic, because now is the best time to change things." — Stephan Heuel

    Key Takeaways

    • Climate change is no longer a future scenario — cities and companies need tools that help them act now, not just understand the risks.
    • The biggest challenge in climate adaptation is not the availability of data or technology, but translating it into actionable, understandable decisions for the people on the ground.
    • Cross-functional and interdisciplinary teams consistently produce better solutions than those focused on technology alone.
    • Ambiguity tolerance - the ability to hold contradicting facts and still take action — is one of the most important competences for navigating both climate change and technological disruption.
    • Both mitigation and adaptation are still needed. Giving up on one in favor of the other is not the answer.

      • Learn more about Stephan's and Helen's work

      • Stefan Heuel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-heuel
      • Helen Droz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-droz

        • If this episode made you think differently about climate adaptation, decision-making under uncertainty, or the role of technology in solving complex societal problems, let us know in the comments or share it with someone who would enjoy the conversation.

        Production Partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germannm, www.tess-marketing.ch, https://videopodcast.studio/

        48 min
      • Digital Twins & Storytelling
        Why communication is just as important as technology

        "People need to know why. They don't need to know the technical term." — Dana Ritzmann

        Key Takeaways

        • Technical innovation only creates impact when we communicate it in language that people understand and can relate to.
        • Digital twins are more than impressive 3D models—they help people make better decisions about real-world challenges.
        • Building great technology also means designing great user experiences, especially when creating tools for citizens rather than experts.
        • Storytelling and journalism play a vital role in bridging the gap between technical experts and the public.
        • Inspiring the next generation starts with making technical careers visible, understandable, and welcoming to everyone.

          • Learn more about Dana's work

          • Dana Ritzmann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaritzmanndd/
          • GeoSN – State Authority for Geobinformation and Surveying of Saxony: https://www.geosn.sachsen.de/
          • Geoportal Sachsenatlas: https://geoportal.sachsen.de/

            • If this episode made you reflect on communication, digital twins, public participation, or how we make technology more accessible, let us know in the comments or share it with someone who would enjoy the conversation.

            More episodes & show notes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

            Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

            Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann

            https://www.tess-marketing.ch/
            https://videopodcast.studio/

            31 min
          • Hackathons & Diverse Teams
            Why the most innovative teams aren't built by chance

            "Building good teams isn't just about diversity—it's about balancing skills, preferences, and inclusion." — Professor Dr. Debra Hevenstone

            Key Takeaways

            • Diverse teams don't emerge naturally, but when people collaborate across different backgrounds and skill sets, they often learn more and are more satisified with the collaboration.
            • Inclusive hackathons begin long before the event itself through thoughtful recruitment, team formation, family-friendly design, and creating spaces where everyone can contribute.
            • AI is lowering technical barriers, allowing hackathons to become more accessible to people with domain expertise beyond software engineering.
            • Civic hackathons create opportunities for learning, networking, and showcasing talent while connecting technology with real societal challenges.
            • Building better technology isn't only about better code—it starts with intentionally building better teams.

              • Learn more about Debra's work

              • Debra Hevenstone on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-hevenstone-6a56533/
              • Hack Integration: https://hackintegration.ch/
              • Hack4SocialGood 2026: https://www.bfh.ch/de/aktuell/fachveranstaltungen/hack4socialgood26/

                • Research and researchers mentioned in the episode:

                • Open-source enabled hackathons: Oleg Lavrovsky — Data engineer and developer relations specialist with deep open-source technology expertise: https://people.epfl.ch/oleg.lavrovsky?lang=en
                • Matching Algorithms: Marek Pycia — Department of Economics, University of Zurich: https://www.econ.uzh.ch/en/people/faculty/pycia.html
                • The Leadership Lottery: Berger, J., Osterloh, M., Rost, K., & Ehrmann, T. (2020). How to prevent leadership hubris? Comparing competitive selections, lotteries, and their combination. The Leadership Quarterly, 31(5), 101388.

                  • During the conversation, we discuss family-friendly hackathon design. For historical accuracy:

                  • The first children's programme at Hack4SocialGood was organized by PH Bern.
                  • Two years later, the children's programme in Olten was organized by Ginkgo Educa, led by Josh Weber (FHNW), continuing the commitment to making hackathons more accessible for participants with families.

                    • If this episode made you reflect on diversity, hackathons, AI, or how better teams create better technology, let us know in the comments or share it with someone who would enjoy the conversation.

                    More episodes & show notes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                    Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann

                    https://www.tess-marketing.ch/
                    https://videopodcast.studio/

                    43 min
                  • Hardware, Drones & Purpose in Tech
                    Why staying connected to the purpose of what you're building matters more than ever.

                    "Stay connected to the purpose of what you're building, and you're going to be fine." — Youssef Demitri

                    Key Takeaways

                    • Building hardware requires a different mindset than software: mistakes are more expensive, feedback cycles are slower, and reliability becomes a core competitive advantage.
                    • AI is changing software and hardware engineering rapidly, and developments in robotics are both an enabler and accelerator of this change.
                    • Successful teams create intentional spaces for experimentation, learning, and exploration rather than forcing AI adoption from the top down.
                    • Trust is the foundation of high-performing teams. Strong leadership balances empowerment and autonomy with support and guidance.
                    • As product, design, and engineering roles continue to converge, staying connected to the purpose behind what you're building becomes more important than any individual tool or technology.

                      • Learn more about Youssef's work:

                      • Youssef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youssef-demitri-a82614100/
                      • Wingtra: https://wingtra.com/

                        • If this episode made you reflect on hardware vs. software, engineering leadership, or product development let us know in the comments or share it with someone who would enjoy the conversation.

                        Link to the podcast with Tony Fadell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJjl1TwyfWM

                        More episodes & shownotes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                        Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                        Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann

                        https://www.tess-marketing.ch/
                        https://videopodcast.studio/

                        41 min
                      • Startups, Silicon Valley & Female Founders
                        Why understanding the problem is more important than building the solution.

                        "If you don't believe in something, nobody else is going to do that." — Alessia Paccagnella

                        Key Takeaways

                        • The most successful founders spend as much time understanding their users as they do building products. Great products start with a deep understanding of real problems.
                        • Silicon Valley's greatest advantage is not technology, but a culture where people actively support, encourage, and help each other succeed.
                        • AI is making software development dramatically faster, but strong engineering fundamentals, architecture, and human oversight remain essential.
                        • Building a startup requires learning how to separate signal from noise, whether that comes from users, investors, social media, or the broader market.
                        • More visible female founder stories matter because they help others imagine bigger possibilities for themselves and their careers.

                          • Learn more about Alessia's work:

                          • Alessia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessiapaccagnella/
                          • VibeFlow: https://www.vibeflow.com/

                            • If this episode made you reflect on entrepreneurship, building products, finding the right environment to grow, or supporting women in tech, let us know in the comments or spread the word.

                            More episodes & shownotes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                            Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                            Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann

                            https://www.tess-marketing.ch/
                            https://videopodcast.studio/

                            41 min
                          • DevOps, AI & the Future of Software Engineering
                            Why quality, systems thinking, and agile principles matter more than ever

                            "Teams that have already adopted the Agile principles are getting faster at everything they are doing. AI and Agile are using each other to accelerate." — Romano Roth

                            Key Takeaways

                            • The biggest bottlenecks in software development are often not in engineering, but in everything that happens before implementation — from ideation and prioritization to requirements and decision-making.
                            • Building a culture of quality requires shared ownership. Quality cannot be delegated to a single team; it needs to be built into the product from the very beginning.
                            • AI accelerates everything in software development — both the good and the bad. Teams with strong engineering practices get faster, while teams with poor foundations accumulate problems even more quickly.
                            • The future of product development will likely involve smaller, more cross-functional teams where product, design, engineering, and quality responsibilities increasingly overlap.
                            • While AI is changing how we work, the fundamentals remain the same. Systems thinking, critical thinking, collaboration, and fast feedback loops will continue to matter.

                              • Learn more about Romano's work:

                              • Romano on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romanoroth/
                              • Zühlke: https://www.zuehlke.com/
                              • DevOpsDays Zurich: https://www.devopsdays.ch/

                                • If this episode made you rethink where the real bottlenecks in software development are, how AI is changing engineering teams, or what skills will matter most in the future of tech, let us know in the comments or spread the word.

                                More episodes & shownotes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                                Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                                Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann

                                https://www.tess-marketing.ch/
                                https://videopodcast.studio/

                                39 min
                              • Virtual Reality & Life After Meta
                                What happens when someone who helped build the future of virtual reality inside Big Tech decides to walk away from it and finds purpose.

                                "If you are in a position where you can speak up, then I feel you have a responsibility to do so.” — Britta Hummel

                                Key Takeaways

                                • The core technical challenges behind modern VR systems are largely solved — the bigger challenge today is finding meaningful and sustainable use cases.
                                • Virtual reality has enormous potential in healthcare, trauma therapy, education, and professional training — especially when designed intentionally around human needs instead of engagement metrics.
                                • Building inside Big Tech can create incredible opportunities for experimentation and innovation, but also environments where dissent and critical feedback become increasingly difficult.
                                • Humane technology is not about rejecting technology altogether, but about building and consuming it with more moderation, thoughtfulness, and responsibility.
                                • Many people in tech are searching for deeper meaning in their work, and purpose-driven technology can fundamentally change how work feels.

                                  • Learn more about Britta's work:

                                  • Britta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittahummel/
                                  • Waven: https://waven.app/
                                  • Why I Left - Britta's Article on Substack: https://brittahummel.substack.com/p/why-i-left

                                    • If this episode made you rethink how you can use your own voice to make tech more humane, how virtual reality is adding real value, or to create a crowdfunded VR headset, let us know in the comments or spread the word.

                                    More episodes & shownotes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                                    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                                    Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann https://www.tess-marketing.ch/ https://videopodcast.studio/

                                    33 min
                                  • Open Source: The Power of Collaboration
                                    How open source software shaped today’s digital world and what we can learn from its evolution

                                    “Open source is an immune response to the denial of access to society through technology.” – Aaron Seigo

                                    Key take aways

                                    • Early open source communities were built around collaboration, shared learning, and the belief that access to software should not depend on permission from large companies.
                                    • Small groups of contributors helped create foundational internet technologies, including browser engines that later influenced products like Safari and Chrome.
                                    • AI-generated contributions and large language models are creating new ethical and practical challenges for open source communities.
                                    • Open source is not only for developers. People with skills in communication, outreach, business, design, documentation, and community building also play an essential role.
                                    • Technology shapes who can participate in society. Open access, transparency, and collaboration are not just technical questions, but societal ones.

                                      • Learn more about Aaron’s work

                                      • Aaron Seigo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronseigo/
                                      • KDE: https://kde.org/

                                        • If this episode made you rethink the role of openness, collaboration, and human contribution in technology, share it with someone in your environment and join the conversation in the comments.

                                        More episodes & shownotes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                                        Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                                        Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann https://www.tess-marketing.ch/ https://videopodcast.studio/

                                        39 min
                                      • Social Media Architecture: Breaking the Addiction Loop
                                        Why engagement-driven platforms shape our behavior and what it takes to build healthier tech

                                        “It's not just one feature — it's a whole system designed to keep us engaged.” – Vardon Hamdiu

                                        Key take aways

                                        • Platforms rely on engagement-driven algorithms, variable rewards, and behavioral patterns that are designed to keep users scrolling and interacting for longer.

                                        • When platforms optimize for engagement, they tend to amplify extreme, emotional, or polarizing content, influencing how we perceive reality and interact with others.

                                        • Younger generations understand how tech affects them, but knowledge alone is not enough. The real challenge is translating awareness into action and behavioral change.

                                        • Sparkable experiments with alternatives such as bridging algorithms and pro-social design to align technology with human and societal well-being.

                                        • While reflecting on our own habits matters, real change requires structural shifts in how platforms are built and what they optimize for.

                                          • Learn more about Vardon's and Sofiia's work:

                                          • Vardon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vardonhamdiu/
                                          • Sparkable: https://sparkable.cc/
                                          • Sofiia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiiakaminska/
                                          • Option Control: https://hub.hslu.ch/design-film-kunst/katalog/sofiia-kaminska/

                                            • If this episode made you rethink how social media is designed and how it shapes your behavior and those of others, share it with someone in your environment and join the conversation in the comments.

                                            More episodes & shownotes: https://www.hello5050.world/podcast

                                            Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Hello5050World

                                            Producing partner: Tess Marketing Consulting & Stephan Germann

                                            https://www.tess-marketing.ch/ https://videopodcast.studio/

                                            47 min

                                          About Hello 50:50 World - Make Tech More Humane

                                          From the publisher's feed

                                          The podcast where leaders and technologists explore how to design, engineer, and build for a better, more inclusive future — with and through technology. In each episode, host Lisa Stähli, an engineer herself, sits down with experts and decision makers in tech to discuss pressing topics from AI to social media, drones to data; always through the lens of humanity and inclusion, to bring fresh perspectives, honest conversations, and inspiration to rethink technology and its role in society. This podcast is a space where technology and humanity meet.