In this newsletter: our draft charter, the first SoHoT community events, and book tickets for the Hopeful Tech Reading Group with Empire of AI author Karen Hao

Since the last email, the SoHoT volunteer organisers have been shaping what the Society for Hopeful Technologists might look like. This is our work in progress:

Society for Hopeful Technologists Draft Charter

We are technology professionals who believe technology and innovation can make the world a better, more joyful place for everyone

We see through the hype and the bluster

We expose the inequalities that technologies create or exacerbate

We reject the technologies and business models that concentrate power and wealth

As Hopeful Technologists, we:

Work to make technology affordable and accessible for all who want it

Champion maintenance and sustainable technology development

Recommend realistic and achievable approaches to technology development and adoption that put people and planet first

We offer a progressive vision for technology – focused on its socially and environmentally positive uses

We will strive to be:

A solidarity network

Just, equitable and inclusive

Open, transparent and independent of party politics

To bring it to life, see if it covers the right things, and work out what’s next, we’re going to run some open house meetings. These will be online, and on:

Thursday 6 November 1900-2000 GMT (book a free ticket )

Friday 14 November 1200-1300 GMT (book a free ticket)

Friday 21 November 1300-1400 GMT (book a free ticket)

These events will include time to reflect and comment on the Draft Charter, organise workshop sessions to develop the Society’s theory of change and work out what happens next. Please book a place so we know how many people to expect.

Hopeful Technologists’ Reading Group: Empire of AI with special guest Karen Hao

We’re also holding a Reading Group meet-up in November and are really excited to be joined by Karen Hao, author of Empire of AI: Dreams and Hopes in Sam Altman’s Open AI. Karen will answer questions for the first 30 minutes then we’ll split into small group discussions to share our thoughts and reflections about the book. Book your place: Tuesday 11 November, 1700-1800 GMT

*Empire of AI *weaves together the recent history of Silicon Valley AI with a page-turning (often jawdropping) insider view of the founding of OpenAI. It’s available in hardback and ebook from Bookshop.org.uk; you can also borrow the audiobook from Libby, read an extract from the first chapter, watch this Observer deep dive or read/listen to this Tech Policy Press interview.

We’ll re-run the reading group at a later date with a recording of the Q&A, and we have another special guest lined up for December.

Also!** **

For anyone who runs a small, low-risk community website or forum and has questions for Ofcom about the Online Safety Act, Rachel is running a Q&A session at 1700 GMT 23 October. You can reserve a spot and send in questions in advance via the booking page.

Thank you

Thanks to everyone who offered to help develop the Society since last newsletter – and a reminder that you can drop us an email at societyforhopefultechnologists@proton.me. Look forward to seeing you at an event soon.

This newsletter was written by Inés Alvarez-Gortari and Rachel Coldicutt and edited by David Durant and Maria J. Lira.