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Monika Bielskyte
Futurist, Speculative Designer & Founder of Protopia Futures & Partner at Africa Life Centric Design
Monika Bielskyte
Futurist, Speculative Designer & Founder of Protopia Futures & Partner at Africa Life Centric Design
Biography
Monika Bielskyte is a futurist, speculative designer and founder of Protopia Futures & partner at Africa Life Centric Design.
Her work is firmly anchored in contextual, complex realities on the ground, rather than one-size-fits-all techno-solutionism, prone to short-term hype cycles and rapid obsolescence. With expertise in information technologies and immersive media (generative AI, spatial computation, VR/XR, UI, UX), Monika examines both the promises and perils of innovation as the blurring boundaries between the digital and physical worlds become increasingly weaponized through strategies of hybrid warfare.
Monika is passionate about the value of inclusive embodiment considerations to innovation processes & “invisible” disability & neurodivergence inclusion in all future considerations: from tech, to policy, to built environment, in order to design a more compassionate world for most of humanity.
As a speculative designer, Monika prototypes culturally expansive, socially and environmentally engaged future world designs that take lessons from visually and narratively captivating Science Fiction entertainment and apply them to make real-world future literacy more compelling.
Her career in Hollywood includes futurist consultancy for Disney / Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Monika has done speaking and advisory work for BBC, Disney, DreamWorks, Google, Huawei, L’Oreal, McKinsey, Mexico City, Microsoft, MTN Group, Nike, SKY, TATA, Technicolor, UAE, Unesco, Universal, Warner Media, World Economic Forum, among others.
Speaker Videos
Monika Bielskyte - Protopia vs TESCREAL Visions of Tech Rapture | The Conference 2023
Monika Bielskyte at Xynteo Exchange 2019
Speech Topics
Inclusive Innovation: Designing for Invisible Disabilities & Neurodivergence
Monika Bielskyte will explore the importance of inclusive design in technology, policy, and the built environment, focusing on considerations for invisible disabilities and neurodivergence. She will discuss how these inclusive practices can foster a more compassionate and equitable world for all, drawing from her extensive experience in inclusive embodiment.
From Science Fiction to Reality: Prototyping Future World Designs
Monika Bielskyte will share her approach to speculative design, which leverages culturally expansive and socially engaged future world designs inspired by Science Fiction entertainment. She will discuss how these prototypes can make real-world future literacy more compelling and impactful, drawing on her experience as a futurist consultant for major Hollywood productions like Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Ethical Implications of Immersive Media Technologies
Monika Bielskyte will delve into the ethical considerations surrounding the development and deployment of immersive media technologies such as VR, AR, and generative AI. She will discuss the potential for these technologies to either harm or benefit society, emphasizing the need for responsible and inclusive innovation.
The Future of Hybrid Warfare: Navigating the Blurring Boundaries Between Digital & Physical Worlds
In this talk, Monika Bielskyte will examine the increasing weaponization of digital and physical world boundaries through hybrid warfare strategies. She will highlight the promises and perils of innovation in information technologies and immersive media, including generative AI, spatial computation, VR/XR, UI, and UX.
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