Community Call – AI Series | Episode 2: AI and Makers at Risk

This session focuses on the role of AI in supporting makers in vulnerable situations, such as those in conflict zones or facing other forms of adversity.

We will explore how AI technologies are used to enhance safety while simultaneously bearing the risk of exposing makerspaces as targets for violence in areas where they play crucial roles. We will unpack what is needed to create and uphold safeguarding practices and mechanisms for makers at risk.

The session will be moderated by Kersti Ruth, founder of Cultiva Lab. Kersti brings twenty years of experience in participatory approaches to shaping inclusive and sustainable digital transformation, incorporating feminist ecology approaches into her work.

Guests Spotlight:

Nawres Arif: 

An industrialist, painter, and sculptor who merges art and technology by creating robots. A self-taught expert in 3D design and digital fabrication, he designed an interactive Motion Capture suit showcased at TEDx Baghdad 2013. In 2013, he founded Iraq’s first Makerspace and Fab Lab, fostering local innovation. During the COVID-19 crisis, he produced over 13,000 protective masks, gaining international recognition. Nawres Arif promotes entrepreneurship and STEM education, aiming to reshape Iraqi society and advance digital learning through Science Camp.

Konstantin Leonenko: 

Originally from Donetsk, Ukraine, Konstantin has spent the last 20 years living abroad, but keeping Ukraine in focus. He holds degrees in industrial automation and algorithmic music composition and is a FabAcademy graduate. Over the last 12 years he has designed, built and managed numerous digital fabrication workshops in Ukraine and the UK, serving startups, universities, NGOs and local communities. Most recently he led three mobile maker teams as part of the TOLOCAR project – delivering humanitarian maker solutions where it matters most. His interdisciplinary background allows him to engage with a broad range of stakeholders, helping them create spaces where ideas are turned into reality.

Kersti Ruth Wissenbach – Moderator: 

Kersti is a political sociologist with deep roots in the participatory communication and communication rights movement. She is the founder of Cultiva Lab, a socio-ecology driven consultancy and exploration space that is rooted in the permaculture principles of People Care, Planet Care, Fair Share. Cultiva Lab works with citizens, organisations and public sector institutions to embrace all-life-affirming understandings and approaches in their work. Prior to establishing Cultiva Lab, she spent nearly twenty years working at the intersection of digital transformation, sustainability, and justice in the international development cooperation sector and in academia. Kersti has extensively collaborated with activist groups, NGOs, and public sector institutions, leading strategic planning, policy advice, and the implementation of civic participation processes globally.