Daniel Kwan and Jaron Lanier: Can human storytelling survive the algorithm?

Video Description

Academy-Award winning filmmaker Daniel Kwan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joined technology visionary Jaron Lanier for a powerful conversation hosted by Berggruen Institute's Studio B in West Hollywood. Together, they confronted the question at the heart of our technological moment: Can human storytelling survive the algorithm? Marking the close of this year’s Vaster Than Empires Writers Retreat, a speculative storytelling incubator which brought screenwriters into direct dialogue with leading futurists, scientists, and A-list filmmakers, this intimate salon paired two of today’s most original thinkers at the edge of art and technology. Drawing from Kwan’s emotionally rich, genre-bending narratives and Lanier’s decades-long critique of technology’s dehumanizing tendencies, they explored what it means to tell stories in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, tech monopolies, and artificial intelligences. As Hollywood struggles to find clarity on AI's role in its future, they asked: what do we gain—and what do we lose—with every new tool? What kinds of stories lead to meaning, empathy, and inspiration in an age of memes and quick sound bites? And how can storytelling resist algorithmic determinism while holding space for nuance, friction, and human agency? Vaster Than Empires: Vaster Than Empires (VTE) is an invite-only writers’ retreat and story incubator dedicated to speculative storytelling that pushes the boundaries of science and philosophy. Inspired by the legacy of Ursula K. Le Guin, the retreat was originally designed for renowned sci-fi authors to develop short-form speculative fiction. Now in its third year, VTE is expanding its scope to Hollywood, bringing screenwriters into direct dialogue with leading futurists, scientists, and A-list filmmakers. Berggruen Institute: Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come. Since its founding, the Berggruen Institute has forged new conceptual frameworks to meet the challenges and harness the opportunities of the arriving future. As an independent think and action tank, we have the autonomy to step outside the usual lanes, reaching beyond academic disciplines to bridge social divides, partisan dispositions, and cultural boundaries. This cross-fertilization, joined with a unique capacity to connect and convene a diverse global network of relationships, gives us the ability to spread actionable ideas and influence events. Follow The Berggruen Institute on Social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berggrueninst Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/berggruenInst Facebook: https://facebook.com/berggrueninst LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berggrueninst/