An abstract for the European University of Technology's (EUt+) webinar series on digital transformation.
The EU's dubious vision of economic growth that could be digitally decoupled from carbon emissions has resulted in a deeply reactionary technopolitics. While it was never really the case that innovative tech efficiencies would magic up unlimited growth without climate consequences, the mask has really slipped with the advent of AI.
Massive institutional and financial buy-in is failing to conceal AI's character as an already-broken technology trying to fix a broken system. While AI's imaginaries are far-right-friendly and accelerationist, the material consequences include a re-centring of high energy consumption as a sign of progress.
This talk will propose decomputing as an alternative form of digital transformation; one that centres social justice, aligns with degrowth and applies people-powered conviviality to the governance of tech for the common good.