E210 ‘Redefining Humanity with Tech and Neuroscience’ with Dr Lollie Mancey

Today’s guest is Dr. Lollie Mancey, Anthropologist, Futurist and Programme Director at UCD Innovation Academy. A self-described cyber anthropologist and futurist, Lollie effortlessly blends social anthropology, technology and entrepreneurship. Her interdisciplinary approach to understanding the world provides valuable insights into the ongoing cognitive revolution and the dynamic interplay between humans and technology.

Lollie’s career is as multifaceted as her title suggests. With roots in social anthropology and social justice, Lollie moved into technology and innovation, resulting in a unique career that lies at the intersection of academia, industry and social commentary. Her approach resembles a well-balanced stool with legs firmly planted in academia, entrepreneurship and social justice.

Lollie’s focus now is on understanding the impact of technology on cultural landscapes. Identifying herself as a cyber anthropologist or digital anthropologist, she explores how technology affects us socially, culturally and even physically. This includes insights into neuroscience and biology, examining how the brain-and-society interplay shapes our technological landscape.

According to Lollie, public speaking and storytelling centre around authenticity and connection. Drawing from her extensive experience teaching wedding and funeral celebrants to be conduits for love stories, she effortlessly connects with audiences. Lollie emphasises the importance of storytelling as a fundamental tool for public speaking, underlining that while public oratory may seem natural, there’s a decade’s worth of preparation behind the scenes.

Lollie is passionate about the complexities of technological innovation, advocating for discussions around broad-reaching topics like universal basic income and the idea of outsourcing memory to technology. Within these complexities lie transformative possibilities, like grief tech and sex tech, as well as overlooked areas like tech for good and human rights in technology.

In the podcast, Lollie delves into the nuanced relationship between humans and AI. Addressing issues like AI companionship and societal perceptions, she emphasises how AI acts as a prism, reflecting our own characteristics back at us. This reflection urges us to carefully analyse our relationships with technology and understand the underlying human dynamics.

Lollie is a strong advocate for AI literacy, emphasising its necessity across all generations to navigate the dynamic landscape effectively. Through programmes like Ireland’s AI literacy initiatives, she calls for an intergenerational approach towards AI education. Highlighting Finland’s successful AI literacy program as a model, she encourages everyone to engage with and understand AI, regardless of age.

In conclusion, Lollie’s insights are a call to action, urging us to integrate different facets of intelligence – cultural, digital, emotional – into our understanding of innovations. Through her passion for combining anthropology with technology, Lollie demonstrates that we can design a life that embraces change, celebrates diversity and promotes social justice within the digital age. Her work reminds us that the stories we tell about ourselves, our society and our future, will shape the narratives of technological influence and human empowerment.