From cave art to autonomous machines, the relationship between humans and technology marked the presentation of the book “Inteligência Artificial: Manual de Sobrevivência” (“Artificial Intelligence: A Survival Manual”), by Leonel Moura, on 2 March 2026 at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, at Técnico Innovation Center powered by Fidelidade. The session brought together members of the academic and cultural community to explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in what the author describes as a “structural” transformation.
Recognised for his work at the intersection of art, robotics and AI, Leonel Moura has explored the “creativity of machines” and he is the author of the exhibition “Arte com ciência” (“Art with Science”), on display in the same space until the end of April. In the book, he proposes a historical reading of technology as an extension of human capabilities, evoking a journey that dates back to the first tools developed tens of thousands of years ago. Artificial Intelligence emerges in this context as a continuation – but with qualitatively different implications.
“We tend to project intelligence in our own image”, he said, arguing that limiting the concept to human beings “is a restrictive interpretation of the term itself”. In the author’s opinion, current systems should not be understood merely as instruments. “Reducing computers to mere tools is to overlook the depth of the changes occurring. We are experiencing a transformation that involves systems with learning and decision-making capabilities”. Trained from human culture, AI models evolve in a process of accelerated autonomy, producing results that can surpass individual knowledge.
When discussing possible future scenarios, Leonel Moura admitted the possibility of a gradual reversal of roles in the human-machine relationship. “It is plausible that we are moving towards a society in which human labour, as we know it, will tend to decrease”, he said. Therefore, he argued for the need of rethinking models of social organisation to ensure conditions of cohesion and sustainability. “We must ask ourselves what direction we want to take”, he stressed.
The session was attended by Arlindo Oliveira, professor at Técnico and president of Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores (INESC), who highlighted the importance of promoting an informed and pluralistic debate. “It is not a question of celebrating or condemning, but of understanding”, he said. For the researcher, it is essential to anticipate AI regulatory issues and reflect on mechanisms that ensure social balance, avoiding late responses to already consolidated transformations.
“Thinking about what the world will be like in 50 years means recognising that we rarely anticipate the true impact of innovations”, he said, citing examples such as mobile phones and the internet, whose social and economic effects have far exceeded initial expectations. On this point, he acknowledged that technical analysis alone is insufficient to imagine long-term scenarios. “It is at this boundary that art can make a significant contribution”, he said, emphasising artists’ ability to project hypotheses, challenge assumptions and expand the range of possibilities for how society might reorganise itself.
The discussion between science and artistic creation reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in understanding the challenges of Artificial Intelligence and in reflecting on possible paths for the coming decades. “The speed of transformation is the big question”, summarised Arlindo Oliveira at the close of the session, emphasising the need to prepare for a rapidly evolving reality.
