MARESUNEX Seminar: Innovation and Material Dependence From Bronze Tools to Generative AI

From Bronze Tools to AI: Is Innovation Trapping Us?
We’ve all heard the saying: "Necessity is the mother of invention." But what if the reverse is actually true?

In this MARESUNEX Seminar, we dive deep into the "Innovation Trap"—the idea that our greatest inventions, from the wheel to Generative AI, don't just solve problems; they create entirely new lifestyles that make us dependent on the Earth’s rarest materials.

As we adopt new technologies, we build infrastructure around them, creating a cycle where our demand for minerals and resources only ever goes up. How do we break the cycle? How do we balance technological progress with material sustainability?

🔍 In this seminar, we explore:
The Proverb Reversal: Why cars, smartphones, and AI prove that invention actually creates necessity.

The Material Web: How our way of life is inextricably linked to complex material systems and mineral demand.

Global vs. Local: Why we must rethink our relationship with technology at every scale to ensure a sustainable future.

The Evolution of Dependence: Tracking the journey from the first bronze tools to the high-compute requirements of modern AI.

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