What Kamala Harris Told Tech Leaders at HumanX 2025

HumanX 2025 kicked off with a powerful message from Former Vice President Kamala Harris. With a tone that was both grounded and forward-looking, Harris set the tone for the event—highlighting not just the possibilities of artificial intelligence, but the weight of responsibility that comes with building it.

Her remarks weren’t filled with technical jargon. Instead, she challenged the audience—made up of technologists, founders, policy leaders, and researchers—to think deeply about ethics, inclusion, and leadership in this rapidly evolving space.

Here are five things worth knowing from her opening talk:

1. AI Must Be a Force for Good—But Only If We Make It That Way

Harris began by acknowledging earlier sessions featuring Pedro Domingos and Dr. Rayid Ghani, who had demonstrated the power of AI to do real good—from healthcare to social services. But she made it clear: these kinds of outcomes don’t happen automatically. They require human intention, oversight, and clear ethical direction.

2. Responsibility Isn’t Optional

The word she kept coming back to? Responsibility.

Harris reminded the audience that AI is shaped by the people building it—and that means we’re all accountable for the consequences, good or bad. “We don’t get to sit on the sidelines,” she said, issuing a direct call to action for everyone involved in shaping technology.

3. Innovation Needs Guardrails

Innovation is essential, Harris emphasized—but not at the cost of safety, fairness, or transparency. She pushed back on the idea that slowing down to consider risks is a bad thing. “This is not about slowing down progress,” she said. “It’s about bringing everyone along.”

Guardrails, she explained, don’t hinder progress—they help make it more sustainable and inclusive.

4. Inclusion Must Be a Priority

Harris also pointed out the need to ensure underserved communities are not left behind in the AI revolution. Equity, she argued, must be part of the conversation from day one—not a box to check after the fact.

The technology we build should reflect the needs and realities of all people—not just the privileged few.

5. The Future Is Already Here—Now What?

Her closing message was clear and urgent: the future isn’t coming—it’s already here. And the decisions we’re making today will shape the world for generations.

It’s not about predicting what AI will do to us. It’s about deciding what we want AI to do for us—and making sure the path forward is guided by values, not just velocity.

Final Thoughts

Kamala Harris helped kick off HumanX 2025 not with fanfare, but with clarity. She challenged everyone in the room to lead with purpose, build with care, and never forget the human impact behind every algorithm.

The message was simple: AI can be a powerful force—but only if we take responsibility for how it's used.

📸 Thumbnail photo credit: Thank you to Ross Hancock (Principal Product Manager at Trustpilot) for capturing this moment at HumanX 2025. Original image.