Thomas Telving | On the dream and violence of AI, and why not everything should be automated | #99

In this episode of The Only Constant, Lasse Rindom speaks with Thomas Telving, philosopher, author and AI ethics commentator, whose work explores what it means to remain human in a world shaped by intelligent machines. Together, they examine the dreams, benefits, violence and dangers of AI - from better healthcare and automation to the subtle ways human relationships, judgement and social connection can be displaced by technology.

Main topics they discuss include:

Why the real dream of AI should be to value relational and human work more highly

How companion AI can blur the line between a useful tool and a meaningful relationship

Where AI can create genuine benefits in areas such as healthcare, research and practical work

Why power, bias, intellectual property and dependency on a few AI companies are societal risks

How to decide when using AI saves time and when human effort is itself part of the value

Listen to the episode to hear Thomas’ perspective on how we can embrace AI’s potential without automating away the human friction, care and connection that make life meaningful.--- Do you want to know more about Thomas Telving?:

Thomas Telving is a philosopher, author and technology analyst, as well as a prominent voice in the Danish debate on artificial intelligence. He advises companies and organisations on AI, ethics and digital transformation and regularly appears as an expert on television, in podcasts and in newspapers.

He has written numerous articles on technology and ethics and is the author of Killing Sophia (2022), Kære Mille – et brev om livet (2022), 10 ting du skal vide om filosofi og kunstig intelligens (2025) and Uautomatiserbar (2026). Since 2016, he has delivered more than 300 talks on artificial intelligence. Thomas holds an MA in philosophy and political science from the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Copenhagen.