A View of Revolutionary Technologies in Human History: Our Collective Responsibilities

The opening ceremony of the first semester 2026/27 of the Globalization Program of Venice International University (of whose consortium the University of Padua is a member) takes place on 9 September 2026 at the VIU premises on San Servolo in Venezia.

It opens with speeches by Umberto Vattani, President of Venice International University, and Carmelo Marabello, Dean Professor of Venice International University.

The speaker entrusted with delivering the opening lectio magistralis is Yusuf Leblebici, Rector of Università Sabancı, who offers a perspective on revolutionary technologies in the history of humanity and on our collective responsibilities.

The rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in recent years have surprised (and continue to surprise) both the general public and decision-makers in the worlds of industry, trade and the global economy. The increasingly rapid evolution of this sector is driven mainly by hardware technologies (namely semiconductors), which over the past 60 years have experienced sustained exponential growth. For careful observers of technology and industry, the current state of affairs is a natural result of the steps taken in past decades; however, these developments are rapidly becoming very difficult to manage, given the ‘linear’ approach to progress that has been taken for granted throughout human history. It is therefore essential to understand the dynamics behind the latest developments and to assume our collective responsibilities in addressing this new era.

Pre-enrolments for the VIU Globalization Program close on 9 September 2026.