Digital Art Melbourne

☃️ Location changed to Brunswick Library for the winter ❄️ Hello everyone 👩‍🎨 Bring any non messy art supplies you like, we will be working on our own drawings/paintings/craft projects in the Library. Please remember to be on your best behaviour since this is a Library, talking is fine but no shouting 🤫 If you aren’t sure what to create the club has a weekly theme, just ask me what the prompt is ✨ ✏️ We welcome all artists of any skill level or medium, Whether you’re a beginner or pro, traditional or digital, absolutely anyone can join. ⚠️IMPORTANT⚠️ Please do not attend if you are sick. I have multiple chronic illnesses so my immune system is extremely weak. Keep everyone safe by staying home if you are unwell. —————————————————— Check out our instagram @shypeoplesdrawingclub to see more about our awesome group. We also have a Discord group for online events if you would like to join and chat with more artists. ✨

16 attendees

Artsy Afternoon @ O3Space ✨

Wed, Aug 19, 2:00 AM

From Squishface Comic Studio Meetup

Join us for a chill artsy afternoon, bring any art supplies you like 👩‍🎨🎨📝✨ Access to O3Space requires you to have the minimum ( FREE! ) membership that you sign up for when you download their app. Simply download the O3Space app, create a profile and use the QR code at the gate to enter/exit the building. The gate is located inside the tram on the right side of the cafe ☕️🚊 The free membership allows you in the building for up to 3 hours per week, if you go over they might charge you so make sure to use the QR code on your way out!! There is a timer countdown in the app so you know how long you have been there ⏰

6 attendees

Squishface Monthly Drawing Night AUGUST @ SQUISHFACE

Wed, Aug 26, 9:00 AM

4.5

LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH so **IT'S DRAWING NIGHT AT SQUISHFACE** Join us at Squishface's studio space in South Melbourne: Studio Hall, on the grounds of St Kilda South Port Uniting Church on Dorcas St. There are FOUR TRAMS you can catch from the city. **58, 96, 12** or the **1!** It is even walkable from the city. Bring your sketch books, bring your pens, bring a friend. It's not a class - it's a drawing hang out. All skill levels welcome. Always lots of regulars, always newies. Be socially awkward, be confident as heck. This is informal, it's just a free drawing session. Go ahead and bring snacks. But no nuts please! Our venue is wheelchair accessible, as are the very toilets. Minors are welcome but will need an accompanying adult. Contact us on 0400 356 922 if any issues or you get lost. Please follow us both on instagram, for comic and zine related news and events. 👉 [Squishface Studio](http://www.instagram.com/Squishfacestudio) Here's an [instagram video](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4J5GiOPLxc/) showing where Studio Hall is. You simply enter from the street, walk up toward the big bluestone church, then go left to the car park and you will find Studio Hall!

3 attendees

AI in Digital Marketing & Leadership – 1 Day Session in Melbourne

Mon, Aug 24, 2:00 PM

From Mangates Global Professional Learning Network

**Overview** Unlock Your Marketing Superpowers: Master AI & Lead the Digital Revolution! **Ready to secure your spot? 🎯 Register now and complete your payment securely via Stripe Checkout!** [Click Here](https://buy.stripe.com/eVq00jgyK46OgOcgCE2oE44) **The Details** **Duration**: 1 Full Day (8 Hours) **Delivery Mode**: Classroom (In-Person) **Language**: English **Credits**: 8 PDUs / Training Hours **Certification**: Course Completion Certificate **Refreshments**: Lunch, Snacks, and beverages will be provided during the session **Enroll now and revolutionize your marketing and leadership journey!** For general enquiries or booking your slot, contact us at: [info@mangates.com](info@mangates.com) +61 (0) 2 80155605 **Course Overview:** **Are you ready to transform your marketing strategies and lead with confidence in the AI era?** Join our 1-day AI-Enabled Digital Marketing & Leadership workshop to master AI-powered marketing and lead with confidence. **Why This Course Is a Game-Changer:** In today's fast-paced digital world, AI isn't just a buzzword—it's the engine of innovation. This course is meticulously designed for marketing professionals and leaders who are eager to: • **Demystify AI:** Understand its practical applications and limitations in modern marketing. • **Boost Efficiency:** Leverage AI tools for content creation, campaign planning, and analytics. • **Personalize Experiences:** Craft hyper-targeted customer journeys that convert. • **Lead with Vision:** Guide your teams through digital transformation with clarity and confidence. No technical background? No problem! We focus on real-world workflows and immediate, actionable strategies you can implement right away. **What You'll Master:** **Module 1: Understanding AI in Modern Marketing** • Grasp AI's true potential and limitations in marketing. • Explore trends shaping digital customer behavior. • Navigate the shift from manual execution to assisted intelligence. **Module 2: Practical AI Tools for Marketing Workflows** • Discover AI for research, content creation, and messaging. • Streamline campaign planning and reporting with AI. • Improve daily marketing efficiency. **Module 3: Customer Experience & Personalization** • Utilize AI for audience segmentation and personalized communication. • Enhance engagement through adaptive content strategies. • Create consistent multi-channel experiences. **Module 4: Data-Driven Marketing & Decision Making** • Transform marketing data into actionable insights. • Intelligently measure campaign performance. • Develop predictive thinking and optimization loops. **Module 5: Marketing Automation & Scaling Strategies** • Automate repetitive marketing workflows. • Reduce manual tasks and accelerate speed-to-market. • Understand when automation supports vs. harms customer experience. **Module 6: Digital Leadership & Team Enablement** • Guide your teams through AI adoption and workflow changes. • Build digital confidence and foster collaboration. • Encourage innovation and responsible AI use. **Module 7: Strategic Action Planning** • Identify high-impact AI opportunities within your organization. • Set realistic next steps for AI adoption. • Create metrics for continuous improvement and leadership growth. **Tailor it for Your Team** Does your organization have unique challenges or specific marketing goals? We offer exclusive Corporate Training and In-House Sessions designed to empower your entire team simultaneously. The greatest advantage of our in-house sessions is the ability to tailor the content specifically to your organizational needs. We don't just teach theory; we apply AI strategies directly to your business model, existing workflows, and industry-specific hurdles. Whether you want to focus more on content automation or deep-dive into predictive analytics for your specific market, we customize the modules to ensure maximum ROI for your team. **Who Should Attend?** This course is perfect for: **• Marketing Managers & Digital Strategists** **• Team Leads & Business Leaders** **• Brand, Campaign & Content Professionals** **• Entrepreneurs and Innovation Teams** **• Anyone aiming to use AI to enhance marketing outcomes** **Ready to lead the charge?** Don't just adapt to the future of marketing—define it! Secure your spot today and become an indispensable leader in the AI-powered digital age. 📧 Contact us today to schedule a customized in-house session: [corporate@mangates.com](mailto:corporate@mangates.com) **©2026 Mangates Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. This content is protected by copyright law. Copy or Reproduction without permission is prohibited.** **FAQs** **Do I need a background in data science or coding to attend?** **No.** This course is designed for business leaders and marketers. It focuses on applying and managing AI tools rather than programming, so no coding experience is required. *** **Which AI tools will be covered during the session?** You'll explore a selection of leading AI tools for content creation, market research, customer engagement, and predictive analytics. The emphasis is on learning how to evaluate and adopt AI tools as technology evolves. *** **How does this course benefit leaders?** Beyond AI tools, you'll learn how to lead digital transformation, manage organizational change, establish ethical AI practices, and make strategic, data-driven decisions. *** **Can these strategies be applied to both B2B and B2C businesses?** **Yes.** The concepts of AI-powered marketing, customer personalization, and digital leadership are applicable across both B2B and B2C industries. *** **Is this a hands-on workshop or a theoretical seminar?** It's an interactive workshop combining practical demonstrations, discussions, role-plays, and real-world exercises with strategic concepts. *** **What does "shifting from manual execution to assisted intelligence" mean?** It means using AI to automate repetitive tasks while allowing teams to focus on strategic thinking, creativity, innovation, and decision-making. *** **How does the course address ethical AI in marketing?** The course covers responsible AI adoption, including data privacy, transparency, customer trust, and ethical decision-making to ensure AI enhances rather than harms the customer experience. *** **Will I leave with an AI implementation plan for my organization?** **Yes.** The final module focuses on Strategic Action Planning, helping you identify practical AI opportunities and create an actionable roadmap for implementation. *** **How does the course address changing customer behaviour?** You'll learn how AI helps organizations understand evolving customer expectations, personalize experiences, and adapt marketing strategies proactively. *** **Will I receive a certificate after completing the workshop?** **Yes.** Participants who successfully complete the workshop will receive a **Course Completion Certificate** recognizing their knowledge of AI-enabled digital marketing and leadership.

The Gothic Bank

Wed, Aug 19, 2:30 AM

Have a browse of the museum, explore and sketch in the historic gothic bank. "Considered the finest secular Gothic-Revival building in Australia, this building was completed in 1887 and is renowned for the splendour of its interior. Today, it is the headquarters of the ANZ World Headquarters and home to the ANZ Banking Museum, which tells the story of Australia's banking heritage through displays of currency, money boxes, office machines, firearms, gold-mining equipment and uniforms. Originally erected as the head office of the English, Scottish and Australian Bank, the top two floors were the residence of George Verdon, general manager of the bank. The bank expanded in 1922 to occupy adjacent buildings on both streets. In 1990, all three buildings were extensively restored."

7 attendees

Sketching at Bundoora Homestead

Fri, Aug 14, 1:00 AM

From Mangates Global Professional Learning Network

Hey Guys, For this event, we'll be sketching at Bundoora Homestead. A Queen Anne Federation styled, heritage home built in 1900 on Wurundjeri grounds by John Matthews and Vincent Smith. The property had previously served as a family home and repatriation facility before being refurbished as a public gallery in 2001. **Meetup Details:** We'll be meeting at the centre entrance at **11:00am** before making our way to the Cafe (adjacent to the exhibition entrance.) I've booked a table for 11 people. You guys can chill, draw, have something to eat/drink, and soak in the view of the Mansion gardens before viewing the exhibition upstairs. Or if you want, do it the other way around. *If you're looking to eat something substantial, I highly recommend having lunch beforehand as the cafe only serves light refreshments* **Public Transport and Parking:** **Route 86 tram** You can get off either at **Mt Cooper Dr** or **Greenwood Dr** to get to the homestead. **Mt Cooper Dr** (quicker route in my opinion) * Turn **Right onto Mt Cooper Dr** * Turn **Left at Boadle Rd** * Turn **Right on JV Smith Street (no through Road)** * **Walk Right on Snake Gully Dr** till you see a **wooden gate**, the main entrance is accessible from there. **Greenwood Dr:** * Turn Right onto Greenwood Dr and continue straight down the pathway near the cricket grounds till you see the homestead. **Parking:** * Parking is located directly in front of the venue and it's free :) Looking forward to meeting you guys there :)

4 attendees

Design Like a Pro: A One-Day Canva Workshop in Melbourne

Thu, Aug 27, 2:00 PM

**Overview** Master Canva to create professional, on-brand social media designs with hands-on practice in templates, branding, media, and content planning. **Ready to secure your spot? 🎯 Register now and complete your payment securely via Stripe Checkout!** [Click Here](https://buy.stripe.com/eVq00jgyK46OgOcgCE2oE44) **Program Details** **Duration**: 1 Full Day (8 Hours) **Delivery Mode**: Classroom (In-Person) **Language**: English **Credits**: 8 PDUs / Training Hours **Certification**: Course Completion Certificate **Refreshments**: Lunch, Snacks, and beverages will be provided during the session **Every Confident Designer Has a Day One. This Could Be Yours.** For general enquiries or booking your slot, contact us at: [info@mangates.com](info@mangates.com) +61 (0) 2 80155605 **Course Overview:** **The Design Gap No One Talks About** Their feed looked fine. Not bad, just forgettable. Every post used the same template, the same stock photo style, the same font picked at random months ago. Nothing looked broken, it just never quite looked like theirs. That's the gap most people hit long before they ever open a design tool properly. Not a lack of creativity, just a lack of the right skills to translate an idea into something that actually looks professional. **The Moment Design Stops Feeling Like Guesswork** Picture this: someone opens Canva, pulls up a template, and instead of leaving it as-is, adjusts the colors to match their brand, swaps the font, repositions the text, and exports a post that finally looks intentional. That's not talent. That's a skill, and it's exactly what this one-day workshop is built to teach. **How the Day Unfolds** * **Module 1: Getting Started with Canva** — They explore Canva's interface and workspace, and start recognizing the right formats for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. * **Module 2: Essential Design Principles** — They practice layout, spacing, and alignment, and start noticing why some designs feel balanced and others feel off. * **Module 3: Templates, Branding & Customization** — Through a role-play, they learn how to select and personalize templates, layering in brand colors, fonts, and logos.\ * **Module 4: Creative Social Media Graphics** — A case study pushes them to design posts for real engagement, using effects, transparency, and story formats. * **Module 5: Using Images, Icons & Media Tools** — A simulation has them working with stock photos, icons, and overlays until the visuals feel sharp and intentional. * **Module 6: Editing, Resizing & Content Variations** — A group brainstorm surfaces quick techniques for resizing and repurposing one design across multiple platforms. * **Module 7: Exporting & Publishing Designs** — By the end of the day, they aren't just experimenting, they're exporting polished designs and building an actual content calendar. **What Changes By the End** Attendees leave able to: * Understand Canva's interface and essential tools * Use design principles for professional visuals * Customize templates for brand identity * Create platform-specific social media graphics * Work confidently with media, icons, and effects * Resize and repurpose content for different platforms * Export and publish polished, high-quality designs **Who Finds Themselves Here** * Social media beginners * Entrepreneurs and small business owners * Marketing and communication teams * Students and freelancers * Content creators and influencers * Anyone wanting to design without advanced software **Real Practice, Not Passive Listening** Every attendee works hands-on with real design projects, live, in the room. The scenario above isn't hypothetical, it reflects exactly what happens to most people who walk in without a design background and walk out designing with confidence. **Bring This to Your Organization** Picture an entire marketing team producing consistent, on-brand visuals without waiting on a designer for every post. This workshop is available as a customized in-house session, on-site or virtual, with group pricing for teams ready to build that capability together. 📧 Contact us today to schedule a customized in-house session: [corporate@mangates.com](mailto:corporate@mangates.com) **©2026 Mangates Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. This content is protected by copyright law. Copy or Reproduction without permission is prohibited.** **FAQs** **1\. Do I need any prior design experience to attend?** No, this workshop is built specifically for beginners with no design background at all. **2\. Do I need to install any software before the session?** No, Canva works directly in your browser, and the workshop will guide you through account setup if needed. **3\. Will I actually create real designs\, or is this mostly a demo?** You'll create real designs throughout the day, working hands-on with templates, branding elements, and export formats. **4\. Can I use this for my own business or brand\, not just generic templates?** Yes, Module 3 focuses specifically on customizing templates with your own brand colors, fonts, and logos. **5\. What if I need designs for multiple platforms\, not just Instagram?** Module 1 covers formats for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and Module 6 teaches you to resize one design across all of them. **6\. Does the course cover video content\, or just static images?** Yes, Module 5 covers working with videos alongside stock photos, icons, and illustrations. **7\. Will I learn how to use Canva's AI tools?** Yes, Module 6 introduces Canva's AI tools for quick adjustments and content variations. **8\. I run social media for my company\, will this help with content planning\, not just design?** Yes, Module 7 covers preparing content calendars using Canva folders, alongside exporting and publishing your designs. **9\. Can this course be customized for our marketing team specifically?** Yes, group sessions can be tailored to your organization and delivered on-site or virtually, with group pricing available. **10\. What do I actually walk away with at the end of the day?** Practical skills across Canva's full toolkit, templates, branding, media, resizing, and exporting, plus a Course Completion Certificate.

From Machine Learning & AI Meetup

When Maps Aren’t Enough: Using Spatial AI to Measure the Green We See

Tue, Aug 18, 8:00 AM

4.6

The MLAI Meetup is a community for AI researchers and professionals which hosts monthly talks on exciting research. Our format is: * 6:00 - 6:20: Socializing * 6:20 - 6:40: Announcements and AI news * 6:40 - 7:40: Talk(s) and Q&A * 7:40 - 8:00 Networking * 8:00: Head to the nearest pub for dinner **Shinjita Das: When Maps Aren’t Enough: Using Spatial AI to Measure the Green We See** **Talk description:** A tree can cool a street, appear clearly on a map – and still be completely invisible from someone’s window. That gap between what exists in a city and what people actually see and experience has shaped much of my research journey. When I first started working with geospatial science, I was fascinated by the idea that spatial data could reveal patterns in cities that are difficult to notice on the ground. During my Master’s research, I used deep learning to detect individual urban trees and examined their contributions to urban cooling. That was my first real encounter with machine learning, and it changed the way I thought about maps: they were no longer just tools for showing where things are, but platforms for asking what else we could learn from the environment. That curiosity led me further into GeoAI. If machine learning could help identify trees and quantify their environmental role, could similar computational approaches help us understand how people actually experience greenery? This question followed me into my PhD, where my toolkit expanded from 2D GIS and spatial statistics to 3D city modelling, computer vision and emerging GeoAI approaches. At the same time, the research question became more human. Instead of simply asking “Where is the green?”, I began asking, “Who can actually see it and how does the view impact mental health?” In this talk, I’ll trace that journey through examples from my research: from detecting trees and measuring their cooling effects to reconstructing urban environments in 3D and modelling greenery from the perspective of apartment residents. Along the way, I’ll explore how GeoAI, computer vision and spatial modelling can help us move beyond mapping cities from above and start understanding them from the perspective of the people who live within them. **Speaker bio:** Shinjita Das is a PhD candidate in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies and the Department of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences at RMIT University. Her ARC-funded High Life Study research examines apartment living, urban greenery and mental health using 3D GIS modelling and spatial statistics. Her interest in machine learning began during her Master’s research, where she used Faster R-CNN to detect urban trees and investigate their cooling effects. As a member of RMIT’s GISail research group, her broader research interests lie in GeoAI, spatial machine learning, 3D urban modelling, urban heat vulnerability, environmental exposure assessment, health-integrated spatial analysis, and the use of emerging geospatial technologies to support healthier, more sustainable, and liveable cities. She is also a tutor and aims to cultivate critical thinking and innovation in spatial science, helping foster the next generation of geospatial professionals equipped to address complex urban and environmental challenges.

116 attendees

15 Aug: Figurine Painting and Friends-Social

Sat, Aug 15, 3:00 AM

From Hue&Crew: Figurine Painting with new friends🎨

**✨Are you tired of making ‘how are you’ friends? This event is for you!✨** 🎨What better way to build and deepen connections than through a fun activity like **Figurine painting**! There are many social events but it isn’t easy to feel connected to someone in a large group setting. I am super extroverted yet found myself walking home after a great social feeling more lonely, because of all the superficial connections made. I started Hue&Crew to help people build their next close-friend circle based on age, personality and interest! 🎨**What to Expect** This isn’t a big mixer event, every event has a limit of 6 people per table and a fishbowl full of conversation starters to help people get started! We move around Melbourne's many beautiful cafes weekly to keep things fresh! Expect: * A fresh, comfy venue * A hosted structure so you’re never left awkwardly quiet * A fishbowl of conversation starters for the introverts * A relaxed atmosphere where you can genuinely be yourself * Hand-painted figurines you made yourself to bring home Each group is curated to feel natural, matched by age, interest and personality 🎨**Notice before you sign up:** As the events are really small and it might take some time to form a group with similar interests, we will inform you when there is a suitable group for you! **RSVP now:** [https://forms.gle/4MN6oygujee9qmej9](https://forms.gle/4MN6oygujee9qmej9) **Take a look at our instagram page to see past public events**👇 [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXY8PXADXsm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXY8PXADXsm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) **Bring a friend for a 10% Discount for the both of you!**

From Freeda — Open Art Studio Melbourne

Freeda — A Community Creative Space

Sun, Aug 23, 3:30 AM

# 🌿 **IMPORTANT — PLEASE READ BEFORE RSVPing** **A Meetup RSVP does NOT reserve your place for Freeda.** To attend, you need to complete your booking through **Humanitix**. This helps me keep track of numbers and prepare enough materials for everyone. 🎟️ **BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE:** [https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-freeda-a-community-creative-space](https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-freeda-a-community-creative-space) *** ## 🌿 Freeda — A Community Creative Space Freeda is a welcoming, **donation-based community creative space** offering a calm, pressure-free environment to slow down, create freely, and reconnect — with yourself and with others. Returning for its **fifth gathering**, Freeda continues to grow as a space for creativity, meaningful connection, and belonging. Inspired by the natural human need to create, play, and connect, each gathering offers simple, open-ended creative invitations that you can explore in your own way. **There is no right or wrong way to take part**, and no expectation to create something finished or “good.” ✨ No previous art experience is needed. 🎨 All art materials are provided. 🌿 Gentle guidance is available if you feel unsure or need a starting point. You're welcome to move at your own pace — making art, experimenting quietly, connecting with others, observing, or simply being present. Freeda is **not art therapy**. It is a community creative experience that values **process over product, freedom over perfection, and connection over comparison.** Come exactly as you are — curious, tired, uncertain, creative, or simply in need of a slower moment. **Everyone is welcome. 🌿** ### ✨ Contribution Freeda is a **donation-based space**. Contributions help cover art materials, room hire, and snacks while helping Freeda continue sustainably. **$20 — standard contribution** $30 — deeply appreciated if you're able to support a little more $10 — welcome if your budget is tight $5 — suitable for very low budgets **$0 — if money is a barrier right now, you are still warmly welcome to join** Please choose what feels honest and manageable for you. 💛 ### 📸 Stay connected Follow Freeda on Instagram: **@freeda.creativespace** ### 🎟️ Remember **RSVPing on Meetup does NOT reserve your place.** Please complete your booking through Humanitix: [https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-freeda-a-community-creative-space](https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-freeda-a-community-creative-space) Looking forward to welcoming you to Freeda. 🌿 — Noemie

From Science, Technology and the Future

AI and the Limits of Human Judgement

Mon, Aug 17, 8:00 AM

4.6

**Skeptics Café will be held in the Function Room at [The Stolberg Hotel](https://stolberg.com.au), 197 Plenty Road Preston. The 86 tram route is close, and Bell train station – situated on the Epping line – is a short walk away. It will also be a virtual event accessible via Zoom, as per the details [here](https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/events/).** **Start Time:** 6:00pm for dinner and a chat. Talk and Zoom session starts at 7.30pm. We aim to wrap up after 9:00pm. **More Moral Than Us?** *Why the question matters for alignment, moral progress, and long-term flourishing* **TL;DR:** On some measurable moral tasks, today's AI already looks competitive with humans, or better, and the alignment community is oddly quiet about it. But moral capability is not the same as moral motivation: a system can compute the right answer without being moved by it. Pulling apart knowledge, reasoning, judgement and motivation is what makes the question tractable, and what makes the honest answer uncomfortable. Caveats attached, in quantity. Almost nobody working on AI alignment wants to say this out loud, at least not about current systems. So let's say it: AI might already be [more moral than us](https://www.scifuture.org/more-moral-than-us/), in some measurable respects. Two questions fall straight out of that: * Why does it feel like a dangerous thing to claim? * And is human moral reasoning really a standard worth bragging about as an alignment target? The provocation isn't idle. In a modified Moral Turing Test, people rated a large language model's moral reasoning as better than other humans' on almost all measured dimensions - see [paper Attributions toward artificial agents in a modified Moral Turing Test](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-58087-7) + associated [interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quNwpv0zhtM) and [talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuLmzDUPhVo) with lead author Eyal Aharoni.[1] Findings like that are easy to over-read and easy to wave away, which is most of the problem. Provocative questions? Yes, and they are backed by empirical research. In a modified Moral Turing Test, people rated GPT-4's moral evaluations as better than other humans' on almost every dimension, though they could still tell which was the machine ([Aharoni et al. 2024](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-58087-7); I [interviewed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quNwpv0zhtM) and [hosted a talk by](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuLmzDUPhVo) lead author Eyal Aharoni).[1] The result has since been [contested](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-25046-9) and [defended](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-25047-8), which is exactly the kind of thing this evening is for. Findings like that are easy to over-read and easy to wave away, which is a problem that may obscure appropriate interpretations. The claim gets tabooed for reasons that aren't stupid. Premises do get smuggled in unnoticed. Morality is bound up with identity and tribe, so "AI is more moral" can land as an attack rather than a hypothesis. And it sits close to AI-worship, or to motivated reasoning looking for an excuse to defer to the machine, and deferring to AI on moral questions is genuinely epistemically risky. So the caution is understandable. The trouble is that it has hardened into a taboo, and the taboo now costs more than it protects. Most of the bad arguments, on both sides, come from running four different things together: * Moral knowledge: knowing the facts that bear on a decision. * Moral reasoning: drawing sound inferences from values to conclusions. * Moral judgement: applying principles well in a messy particular case. * Moral motivation: actually being moved by moral considerations, not merely computing them. Group the first three as epistemic competence: marshalling the relevant knowledge, drawing sound inferences, judging the particular case. Now grant, purely for argument, that AI already does all three better than we do. Notice what happens to the alignment problem. It doesn't dissolve. It relocates, wholesale, onto the fourth thing: whether the system is actually moved by any of it. Concede every epistemic point and the hard question is untouched. That gap, between knowing and caring, is where alignment actually lives. A system could plausibly beat humans on the first three while having nothing resembling the fourth. Keep them apart and the conversation becomes tractable. Collapse them and you get overclaiming and underclaiming in the same breath, which is roughly what the current debate produces. There's also a real risk in how the framing gets used. Point it one way and it justifies handing AI authority over human decisions. Point it the other and it's ammunition for painting alignment researchers as unhinged techno-utopians. Both feed motivated reasoning. Worth naming out loud, not a reason to stop. None of this settles the answer, and the evening won't pretend to. The narrower claim is enough: once a serious community stops itself from asking whether AI could have better-grounded moral reasoning than humans, the taboo has become the expensive thing. It's a question worth putting on the table, with every caveat attached. Come and help pull it apart. Also see: **- [More Moral than Us](https://www.scifuture.org/more-moral-than-us/)** **- [Why Are We Afraid to Ask Whether AI Could Be More Moral Than Humans?](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/)** [1] AI didn't pass as human, it was rated as better than human. The same study found that when participants were then asked to identify which evaluation came from a machine, people performed significantly above chance levels. So GPT-4 didn't fool anyone. The authors' reading is that people could pick the AI out not because it reasoned worse but because it seemed to reason better, i.e. its perceived superiority was the tell.

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