Illustration by OLJ with AI
It writes, it draws, it argues. It makes your job easier, and the future harder to predict. It promises efficiency, knowledge, maybe even salvation, but comes with no commandments, no prophets and certainly no manual. Artificial intelligence is no longer the future. It’s the present, quietly reprogramming how we live, work, learn, and even think.
On Sunday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m., L’Orient-Le Jour’s “Un vent de liberté” festival pauses to ask a question: Is AI the next religion? To explore it, three sharp minds will take the stage, each offering a unique perspective.
- Craig Forman, an American-European tech and media entrepreneur, former CEO of McClatchy publishing company, early-stage investor in media, technology and telecom startups, and the executive chair of the Center for News, Technology & Innovation, will discuss AI’s impact on the economy, society and the flow of information.
- Kristen Davis, a British-French former tech and innovation director at the New York Times and transformation expert, will share her insights on navigating strategic thinking through cutting-edge technology.
- Fatima Abu Salem, an AUB professor and AI governance consultant, applies data science to social, health, agricultural and environmental challenges and will explain why bridging research and practical decision-making is critical.
The discussion will be moderated by Ludovic Blecher, L’Orient-Le Jour executive board member and former Director of Innovation and Strategic Relationships within Google’s news ecosystem. Together, they will explore AI not just as a tool, but as a force quietly transforming education, the job market, governance and daily life.
The conversation will stretch wide through a global, regional and local perspective: from the ways AI is transforming industries and everyday routines, to the questions it raises around trust, ethics, information and regulation.
Can legal frameworks keep up as the groundwork is still developing? How can AI be harnessed not just to disrupt, but to improve? And what might its growing role in media and publishing mean for our understanding of reality?
The roundtable will be held in English with simultaneous French translation. Free entry.
Find all the details about the ‘Un vent de liberté’ festival and explore the full program.👈
