Jean Arnaud
Entrepreneur I Educator I Philosopher I Artist
My public
talks
At SXSW, I discussed the potential of the metaverse to revolutionize learning by creating immersive and interactive environments. I highlighted how these environments can enhance retention through active research, hands-on projects, and collaboration. I shared experiences from OMAIA, where ancient Rome was rebuilt with the help of renowned researchers and professors. Students can interact with these environments through activities like escape games and immersive quizzes using avatars. I also presented future developments, including AI-powered virtual avatars and smart mentors for personalized learning. I demonstrated how avatars can boost self-confidence and combat discrimination and bias. I provided a sneak peek into Nova's work, offering a glimpse of the future of education.
At Harvard's Night of Ideas, William James Hall, I discussed how the metaverse, AI, and digital environments are revolutionizing education, citing OMAIA's project-based learning in ancient Rome and virtual science labs as examples. I introduced smart avatar mentors and emphasized personalized learning. I also stressed AI's impact on art, advocating for active collaboration and experiential engagement with new media art. I showcased my artwork "Prometheus the Dawn Bringer," inviting viewers to explore hidden experiences within, symbolizing the limitless possibilities of art. I enthusiastically proposed that our era represents a digital renaissance, marking a revolutionary shift in how we engage with technology and creativity, a rAIvolution.
At the French Library, I delved into the fusion of art with immersive technologies and AI, discussing its philosophical implications in my talk, "The Impact of New Technologies (AI & immersive technologies) on Art." I explored how AI challenges traditional art concepts and the evolving role of artists collaborating with machines. I emphasized utilizing AI as a creative ally rather than a replacement for human abilities. Additionally, I discussed immersive and interactive art forms like new media and mixed reality, citing examples such as the metaverse and palimpsestic experiences found within artworks.
At NFT NYC, I discussed the transformative impact of AI on the art world, highlighting how it changes the classic paradigm of art creation. AI is not just a tool but a collaborative partner, enabling new co-creation methodologies and dynamic forms of artwork, including AI video, music, and 3D. This integration of AI challenges traditional views on art and the artist's role, offering unexpected creative opportunities and redefining the essence of creativity. My presentation emphasized the synergy between human intuition and artificial intelligence, marking the dawn of a new digital renaissance in art.
During the Mission Laïque Française event on the days of the digital revolution in education, I spoke about the potential of immersive technologies and the metaverse. We conducted an experiment with Open Mind International Academy, where classes were held in immersive and interactive metaverse spaces, fostering collaboration and creativity. This innovative approach revolutionized assessment methods by incorporating immersive quizzes similar to Kahoot and Gimkit, but within the metaverse. These advancements demonstrate how immersive technologies can transform the educational landscape, enhancing both teaching and learning experiences.
At the Metaverse Summit in Paris, I discussed our company's journey towards AI smart tutors for research and learning spaces in the metaverse. I highlighted how integrating AI avatars into these immersive environments can transform education, improving hands-on learning and cross-disciplinary collaboration. These AI-driven tutors create interactive and personalized learning experiences, enhancing both collaboration and creativity. This innovative approach not only changes the way we learn but also revolutionizes education by leveraging the metaverse's immersive potential to engage students in new and exciting ways.
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At CIC Berlin, I spoke about Æthos—our philosophy, vision, and mission to unite AI founders, researchers, and tech artists, empowering them to soar together and lead the rAIvolution in creating an atelier for the new renAIssance. At Æthos, we are committed to building a golden age of responsible AI, taking our responsibility into our own hands to shape a more enlightened future and work toward a greater good for the world yet to come.
In this panel that I moderated, we highlighted how AI’s rapid advancements are transforming society, akin to the impact of the steam engine. We emphasized that vision and ethics must guide technological progress, raising essential questions about the direction and responsibility of innovation. We discussed the need for frameworks to ensure AI serves to enhance, rather than limit, humanity. Ultimately, we underscored that meaningful innovation should be driven by a collectively defined ethical vision aimed at benefiting humanity.
At AI Meets Culture, organised by Villa Albertine and hosted by Nova, Æthos, and CIC, I exhibited my AI art and moderated a panel on how technology reshapes cultural heritage.
We explored how AI, chatbots, and immersive tools are transforming access, preservation, and public engagement.
Speakers included Marion Carré (Ask Mona), Natalia Peters (ICONEM), Faïçal Selka (IMKI x Anamnesia), and Antonio Torralba (MIT).
They shared demos and reflections on innovation, institutional challenges, and evolving audience experiences.
We concluded with a critical discussion on the ethical dimensions of AI in cultural contexts.
At CIC Cambridge, I moderated a panel on quantum technologies during an evening hosted by FACCNE, Alice & Bob, and the French Consulate of Boston.
Speakers from Atlantic Quantum (Bharath Kannan), Alice & Bob (Blaise Vignon), Pasqal (Michelle Lampa), and MIT (Jeffrey Grover) shared insights bridging science, industry, and policy.
The event fostered transatlantic dialogue and strategic partnerships shaping the future of quantum technologies.
At MIT, I spoke about Nova and education in the age of AI — a time when learning becomes a vital force to cultivate critical, creative, and polyvalent minds.
Philosophy must return as an art of being — to question, reimagine, and guide human purpose in a rapidly shifting world.
AI literacy must be combined with hands-on, interdisciplinary practice grounded in real-world application.
I moved from philosophy into tech — creating tools, modular schools, and global hubs to embed meaning into innovation.
In this digital renaissance, our shared duty is to build a luminous, human-centered future where technology helps humanity flourish.
At Æthos, we hosted an (un)conference inspired by Humboldtian principles — bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to define their own discussions on AI and Ethics.
Over 150 participants joined, co-creating a space of open dialogue, reflection, and interdisciplinary exchange.
Instead of a fixed agenda, attendees led their own sessions.
The result: a collective, bottom-up exploration of how we shape a more ethical and inclusive AI future.
At CIC Berlin, I moderated and spoke at Ethics Meets AI: How to Build a Responsible Future, hosted by Æthos.
I opened the evening by framing the ethical and philosophical dimensions of AI’s evolution.
As a panelist, I advocated for human-centered AI that protects rights and enhances human potential.
The panel featured Ben Zevenbergen (Google), Andrea Schlüter (TUV) , Kevin Yam, Camila Lombana Diaz (SAP) Nicolas Flores (Fraunhofer), Sam Rowe and myself (Æthos).
Together, we explored actionable, interdisciplinary pathways toward trustworthy and responsible AI.
At CIC Berlin, I moderated and spoke at From Values to Code: How Do We Design AI for Good?, hosted by Æthos.
I opened the conversation by framing the ethical and existential stakes of AI in society.
Alongside me were Émilie Vallauri (Techstars), Harmen Zelle (Meta), Ulrike Fischer (SAP), and Dr. Nicolas Flores (Fraunhofer).
We explored how to embed ethics, human rights, and societal values into AI design and governance.
Together, we called for collaborative, human-centered innovation to shape a responsible future for AI.
At GITEX Europe, I had the honour of speaking and performing live on the main AI stage, invited by DeviantArt to present a bold fusion of AI, art, and philosophy.
Together with Claudia Siedlitzki and Majd Mardini, I unveiled a palimpsestic performance — blending binary poetry, immersive video, and symbolic resistance.
As the only French philosopher-artist on stage, I shared a vision of creation as rebellion in the age of the Digital Renaissance.
I also co-led a hands-on AI & fashion workshop with Nesrine Zarrouki (La Vipère, Æthos) — exploring the future of aesthetics through generative design.
Representing Æthos, Nova, Art and Above, Digital Nexus, and Open Mind, I called for a luminous future where humans and machines co-create with soul and purpose.
