Dr Christoph Thun-Hohenstein of the Future Platform ReGenerativa, Austria, will present ‘Digital Humanism in a More-Than-Human World’ at The Vienna Conference on Arts & Humanities (VCAH2026) and The Vienna Conference on the Social Sciences (VCSS2026), to be held in Vienna, Austria, and online.
Dr Christoph Thun-Hohenstein is a leading cultural manager, curator, and author working across culture, ecology, regeneration, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. Through senior roles in international cultural relations, he has explored how culture can respond to social, technological, and environmental transformation, making him especially well-placed to introduce Regenerative Digital Humanism. His keynote will examine how people, nature, and AI can be brought together as allies for a better world.
This keynote presentation will be held both onsite in Vienna and online via live-stream. To participate in VCAH/VCSS2026 as an audience member, please register for the conference via the conference website.
The presentation will also be available for IAFOR Members to view online as part of their membership benefits. To find out more about becoming an IAFOR Member, please visit the IAFOR Membership page.
Speaker Biography
Christoph Thun-Hohenstein
Future Platform ReGenerativa, Austria
Christoph Thun-Hohenstein is cultural manager, curator, and author at the interface of fine art, media art, design, architecture and ecology, climate, regeneration as well as digitalisation and artificial intelligence / superintelligence. He is Artistic Director of the Future Platform ReGenerativa, Austria.
After studying law, political science, and history of art at the University of Vienna, Austria, Dr Thun-Hohenstein worked for the Austrian Foreign Ministry and held posts in Abidjan, Geneva, and Bonn. He was Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York from 1999 to 2007. From 2022 to 2025, he was Director General for International Cultural Relations at the Austrian Foreign Ministry. From 2007 to 2011, he served as Managing Director of departure, the Creative Industries.
Agency of the City of Vienna. Dr Thun-Hohenstein also served as General Director and Artistic Director of the MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna from 2011 to 2021. He then founded the Vienna Biennale for Change, which he directed from 2014 until 2022. Most recently, he initiated the Vienna Climate Biennale and chaired the Advisory Board of the Vienna Climate Biennale.
Dr Thun-Hohenstein has published several books. His most recent book, Zukunftsmutig (Kremayr & Scheriau 2026, in German), was released earlier this year.
Abstract
Digital Humanism in a More-Than-Human World
Digital Humanism is a movement founded in Vienna that is characterised by a critical yet constructive stance towards digitalisation: it posits that digital technologies should serve people, not the other way round, and is based on five fundamental considerations:
- Digital technologies change us and our lives.
- They must protect people and the environment.
- They should strengthen democracy and society.
- They are malleable, not fate.
- Most importantly, people are not machines.
The rapid developments in AI and the massive ecological crisis call for an urgent update to Digital Humanism. We must embed it within a holistically conceived ‘more- than-human world’, and position nature as humanity’s most important partner in dealing with AI. For humans are part of nature; they are one species among many. Humans would therefore be well advised to abandon anthropocentric thinking and to use powerful technologies such as AI not only for their own benefit, but also consistently for the protection and well-being of our planet. The ultimate goal must be the regeneration of human civilization in future-oriented harmony with nature.
This keynote will introduce a brand new initiative that brings together people, nature, and AI into a groundbreaking shared vision. It will outline a Regenerative Digital Humanism, through which AI, nature, and we are united as allies for a better world. It will focus on empowering Gen Z, a generation with best prospects of living to see the next turn of the century.
