“There Is No Spoon” – Presentation by Léonie Watson

Generative AI can feel astonishingly real, but like the spoon in The Matrix, it is nothing more than an illusion—patterns of probability masquerading as truth. Just like Neo had to bend his mind to see beyond the illusion, we must recognise that AI does not understand, reason, or perceive reality; it just generates plausible facsimiles.

This talk will explore the relationship between humans and generative AI, particularly in the realm of accessibility, where accuracy, clarity, and real-world impact are critical. We’ll examine the risks and limitations, but also the extraordinary potential of AI as a means to make the world more accessible.

You can see Léonie Watson presenting this at beyond tellerrand Düsseldorf 2025, taking place on 5 and 6 May 2025.