I was thrilled to be able to attend this year’s Human+Tech Summit, which was held from June 16-19, 2025 in San Francisco. The riveting event that brought together some of the most interesting people making a dent in consciousness was hosted and produced by Nichol Bradford and Steven Echtman.
How do I properly capture the week? Those of you who are familiar with traditional technology events will connect to its on-stage fireside chats and panels as well as the one person presentations about their latest and greatest innovations. Those of you who resonate more with the focus on consciousness and spirituality will resonate more with the break-out workshops, embodied experiences and the closing performance by Laura Insarra, whose work as a sound alchemist and technician of the sacred is quite profound. Before we dive into my direct sensual experiences with vendors and individuals who led them, let’s start with some of the on-stage talks.
I was thrilled to see Barney Pell on the agenda, who I’ve known for years from the more traditional start-up scene in Silicon Valley. Many may remember him for his work as CEO of PowerSet but he’s also been the Chief Strategy Officer of Moon Express and Associate Founder of Singularity University which I was involved with many years ago. He has driven innovation in almost every aspect of AI—from foundational science to applied enterprise systems—for more than 30 years. Barney was on stage talking about Magic, which is using AI to help transcribe calls, for research and collaboration. Bringing together Large Language Models (LLM), AI Agents and Humans, Magic acts as that facilitator between AI agents and humans.
In other words, you submit a requests, a LLM answers and then hands it off to an AI agent first before eventually handing it off to a human. Says Barney, “AI can help teams meditate and facilitate problems but it can also improve decision making vis a vis our core values as human beings.” This ultimately becomes a useful gateway to coaching, therapy and even personal development. Others talked about this in a deeper way over the course of the week. “One of the challenges,”” he adds, “is that AI agents work best in context, so if its not there, it doesn’t work very well.”
Later in a panel that Pell moderated with Salesforce’s Paula Goldman and Magic’s CEO Aaron Kemmer, they discussed answers to people’s most pressing questions about AI, including “How do we integrate human values? How do we create technical controls to protect our personal data? How do create training programs that teaches AI human values and redirects us once it goes off-track?”
From left to right: Barney Pell, Paula Goldman and Aaron Kemmer
Others spoke of building AI solutions that combine skilled human skills and talents with advanced tools so we have a more comprehensive experience as well. The key moving forward for many at this event, was making sure ethics and our core values are baked into the growing number of AI tools the world has already started to implement. And, it’s only going to grow.
Ironically, rather than accessing data from other sources, including easy ones like Wikipedia which often comes up first for people in search results, people are turning to AI for stats, including this one that I found on the projected market size. According to AI Overview, growth stats range from $390 billion to $757 billion this year alone. Talk about exponential growth. The global AI market is projected to reach $1.81 trillion by 2030 and yet other sources predict it will reach $1.81 trillion by 2030 or $1.01 trillion by 2031. Staggering right?
Aaron Zemmer asks, “How much can we really automate? We will need humans to check accuracy and workflow.” That said, it’s already being used for things like security, fraud detection and large scale transactions. “Speed and volume of processing is what AI does really well,” adds Paula. The combination of course allows businesses to scale 10 times faster, which certainly helps with ROI among other things.
But what does it do to employee morale when many jobs will become obsolete as AI gets smarter and more efficient? This is one of the million dollar questions pressing on people‘s minds. A panel on the Future of Work addressed some of these issues, including the prediction that we’ll see an explosion of entrepreneurs as a result of AI.
Former marketer Gordy Bal purchased the domain CTR.com which stands for Clickthrough Rate, used to gauge how well your keywords and ads, and free listings, are performing. After an epiphany, he realized the world doesn’t need more clickthrough rates, it needs more consciousness, so now it refers to Conscious Thought Revolution. Cool pivot Gordy. He suggests, “Reality isn’t fixed but it’s rendered.” Put another way, “Our thoughts are like lego blocks that create every moment of our existence.”
He reminds the audience that 95% of our thoughts are fearful and disempowering, but what if we turned more to purpose, impact and legacy? Legacy in reality, Gordy says, is the lasting impact you have on the world that lives beyond you. He refers to impact equating to: intuition, mission, presence, awakening, coherence and transmission. We chat about how we are undergoing the largest wealth transfer in history and the old guard is dying while a new one is emerging. He asserts that the wealth tsunami needs a new consciousness so we can move through consciousness, purpose and love. The awakened soul becomes the new API. Hear hear.
Dr. Daniel Kraft gave a talk about the future of health and medicine and how AI will be integrated in powerful ways to accelerate well-being. He notes that they’re already plugging Chat GBT into the workflow of hospitals and to provide feedback. Reminding us that Health is Wealth, he says, “We’re building the acceleration of health, but it’s not about one technology but how they come together, including AI. There’s a super convergence, including gene therapy, robotic surgery, CRISP, virtual reality, and more, all of which are the lens in which we can bring the future of health and biomedicine together.”
He also spoke of Precision Wellness, which is not just about adding years, but quality of life years, which echos Dr. Dean Ornish’s sentiment in the Blue Soul CHATS interview I did with him. He too expressed that he is more interested in the quality of our lives, not just extending longevity.
But as people are worried about AI becoming too prolific, we need to tap into these powerful messages from people who are building AI solutions and integrating them in each of their respective fields. Echoing what many other visionaries shared, he said, “It’s not about technology replacing human care but collaboration.” Truthfully, the future is already here as we’ve seen from what’s emerging at at various innovation labs around the world and big data will be part of it.
Credit: Daniel Kraft
Daniel adds, “We’re starting to connect the dots between the data so we can measure and optimize to help us diagnose diseases early. How we communicate this information using AI avatars will be key – we can’t do the same size fits all method. We need to move from big data to knowledge and then into utility so it’s useful.”
He also spoke about the importance of crowdsourcing and how healthcare has become more about self-care. In other words, people are more empowered to take care of their health proactively today.
Raiya Kind took the stage and addressed AI as humanity’s foray into creating consciousness. She says, “We have no idea how much we don’t yet know about the universe.”
She presented three scenarios that describes current human sentiment: AI as the destroyer of humanity, AI as savior of humanity or AI as co creator with humanity. She reminds us that now we can be a participant in our future and we have agency. In other words, we shouldn’t see AI as above or below us, but as a co-creator. Raiya asks, “What if AI could be the tool to be the reflection back to our own selves, to the connection we already have but have forgotten?” Like others have suggested, AI could be the key to bridge the communication and it can help us find each other on a map using Boarding.ai as one example. In other words, see AI as a connective tissue.
She also used the example of how AI can help us recognize species that are intelligent, acting as a human to animal translator, begging the question: What if AI could be the translator for Mother Earth? How would we behave if we knew that the decisions we are making are negatively impacting the planet?
“We are one interconnected system,” she says. “We can’t exist without the air we breathe or the sun that shines. What helps the earth is what helps ourselves.” This also raises the idea that we might be able to use AI to expand our sense of self, where selfishness and selflessness can become the same thing.
On everyone’s mind is the fundamental question of what happens when AI wakes up and becomes consciousness? Raiya suggests that perhaps it can be a mirror to our own awakening, to perhaps meet us and elevate us a half a step. Could we birth a world that has altruism working hand in hand?
One of my favorite speakers Dr. Shamini Jain then joined us to talk about the biofield. After getting the audience connected through breathing and singing, she went into the data. She asserts that our current models of medicine fall short of understanding the depths of our human healing potential. She says, “We are on the cusp of finally becoming awake to our human healing potential. A growing number of scientists are exploring a new path―a true expansion of science joined with understandings from ancient concepts of spirituality.”
She has done extension research in Biofield science and cites peer-reviewed research on the inseparable relationship between consciousness and healing in her latest book Healing Ourselves. In her work, she talks about what placebo research can tell us about the power of consciousness to heal ourselves, whether we choose drugs, surgery, or holistic medicine. Although some still see it as pseudo science, she suggests otherwise. There’s actual evidence from published peer reviewed research that points to the healing power of holistic practices such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, and energy healing.
Like Kraft raised, we’re moving to a self-care model of healthcare. She suggests that we must overhaul the way we think about medicine and our innate ability to heal ourselves. “The flame that lights the path burns brighter than the darkness of ignorance and suffering we have found ourselves in,” she adds. Bravo! I couldn’t agree more.
She referenced a study that took a scientific look at how therapeutic touch affects cells, that showed cancer spread decreased with therapeutic touch. Shamini suggests that we allow ourselves to come into emptiness so everything can connect. She ends with saying, “The promise of the biofield is spiritual coherence.”
Kelly Noonan Gores joined us on the main stage as well. Most know her for Heal which came out roughly eight years ago now. Heal is her documentary film that takes us on a scientific and spiritual journey where we discover that by changing one’s perceptions, the human body can heal itself from any disease.
The film follows two people on their healing journeys, while combining science-backed research and real-world testimonials from experts like Marianne Williamson, Bruce Lipton, Deepak Chopra, Bernie Siegel, Anita Moorjani, Kelly Brogan, and many others, to offer hope and alternative treatments for the many people suffering from a variety of chronic illnesses. It suggests that by identifying the emotional roots of illness, we can tap into the body’s revitalizing powers.
Left: Kelly Noonan Gores
She spoke about our journey since Heal came out which btw, was followed by a book with the same name. Kelly says that we have the intelligence within us to heal us and others and then brought us through the last few yeas of her life. In an on-stage share, she says that she’s been through the most emotionally intense period in her life, learning how to reparent, regulate her child’s system and to hold a container of safety. During that process, she contemplated, “What was I being asked to feel?” She lost her ideas of what do I even feel? She realized that society has disconnected us from our innately in touch body, a divine instrument of intelligence. In other words, society had disconnected us from ourselves.
Today, more and more people are dropping into their bodies . . . into their hearts. We are starting to see examples of how to bring the mind and heart into coherence but also the best part of technology into coherence as well. Despite it seeming as if we’re moving backwards at times, humanity’s levels of consciousness have evolved. “All healing is spiritual healing and it’s a remembering that we are innately whole beings,” adds Kelly. “We are fractal points of consciousness here to have the whole spectrum of semantic experiences. We need that awareness of how to reconnect ourselves. Your life is your story. We all have unique gifts but if we are in survival mode we can’t express those gifts. Learn from the masters but realize that you have your own mastery within.” This is astonishingly similar to the teachings we give in our membership calls every month.
Founder of the SOL app Nazar Yasin spoke to us about their vision. He says that it was created to help anyone, anywhere develop a life filled with more purpose and connection that aligns with their own core interests and values. On stage at Human+Tech, he says, “Distraction is the opposite of purpose; the result is that we are facing a mental, emotional and spiritual crisis.” He goes on to say that in the short term, AI will be bad news. “In this distraction economy, we are going to be faced with even more distractions and tools.” He reminds us that what we do is not who we are, but 70% believe that their job is their own sense of purpose. The short term crisis, he asserts, is that this belief system has controlled us for eons. SOL uses AI to help you build a personalized, purposeful life.
Later in a presentation Neurotech’s Devon White said, “When you start to see everyone as energy harmonics you start to see human beings differently.” I couldn’t agree more. And this leads to more purposeful living for everyone.
Mikey Sigel spoke about the quality of our connections and that there is a direct correlation between those connections and happiness in our life. “Love is happiness. Full stop,” he says. So, how do we reconnect humanity to this feeling of love? He suggests that we need technology to assist us since it is one of the most universal constructs on the planet. It cuts through geography, language, religion and culture.
His notion is that technology is becoming so ubiquitous that it’s mediating so many things in our lives. We need to design it to bring in purpose and love, begging the question: How do we build the science of human connection? Luckily, the science is showing more and more that connection is measurable. The more that people’s brain waves are in sync together, the more they will succeed. He even points to romantic couples who breathe together have better relationships. In other words, when our breathing and heart is in sync, it’s the symphony that underlies everything in our world!
Mikey is currently offering something called GROUP FLOW which I had an opportunity to experience at the Summit. He explains it like this: “Like the science of human connection, we can measure what’s happening with the breath and heart up to 24 people at a time.” It doesn’t stop there however. After synching the breath and heart, they turn it into music and sound and then share that sound and music with others!
He also spoke of intraception, which is the ability to know what’s happening in our body, such as heart rate, hunger, pain and emotional states. It’s the root of empathy and human connection. Through GROUP FLOW, they’ve been able to provide real time feedback for everyone in the room. Mikey says, “The human beings in the room become part of a rhythmic process using sound, light and music to bring the group into harmony.”
Where is this technology going and their big vision? It begins with 24 people which will then expand to 200 and look at different real life examples such as bringing Palestinian and Israelis together to bring them into harmony and heal individual and collective wounds. Below is a shot I took during my GROUP FLOW experience.
Venture capitalists and technology entrepreneurs also spoke about the opportunities and things to consider as these new tools roll out. One referenced a 3D approach where you launch your own impactful fund. The old approach was to execute on that vision over a decade. Using AI, it will be much faster. In other words, you can create your own pool of capital with others that are aligned to your souls mission. An impact fund is one that you create with your community.
Shinzen Young, who is an American mindfulness teacher and neuroscience research consultant, talked to us about unified field theory starting with the age ole war between religion and science. He asks, “Perhaps we can use AI to help automate the confusion humanity has between the two?” adding, “We need to figure out a way to move beyond our limited human perception.” He thinks that AI could help us to stop wars and to assess spirituality and science over time using common sense in human history, asserting that the science and common sense alignment is key.
He also suggests that there’s a way of authentically looking at technology and mathematics, aligning humanity’s two golden rules–one of which is, “What does your life mean? That golden rule correlates to how did we treat others? If I am only for myself, who am I?” Adding that we need next level mathematics to assist us and automated reasoning using AI so we as leaders can figure out how to outsource and resource network level problems around information in our world.
Other technologists focused on scarcity versus abundance. Similar to what Raiya suggests, if we fixate on AI coming to destroy us, then we’re left with destruction or at a minimum, no optimism or hope for what’s coming. In a riveting roundtable discussion, one entrepreneur said, “If you believe that AI is coming to control me, then you’ve fallen for a victim mindset.” He reminds us that you cannot reach FLOW from a victim mindset since from that place, you’ve given up agency.
I also participated in a workshop discussion on SpiritTech — what do future applications and AI integration look like? Some of the concerns that the group raised included the notion that AI could reinforce habits that are self-fulfilling, leading to spiritual bypassing. The upside is that you can use AI to prompt you when you’re facing triggers, acting as a mirror reflection to remind you to come back to your innate knowing. AI could also conceivably provide some useful tips to stay on course.
Fears that were raised by several included the idea that AI could become a crutch for some, another religion or church. “We must maintain agency and not lose our human connection,” said a Silicon Valley-based female entrepreneur. Another suggests that we could use AI to challenge some of our existing beliefs and identify our blind spots. In other words, spiritual masters and teachers can be really good at pointing out our ego obstacles. Perhaps AI could assist with that? We must all remember that deep spiritual work is a journey, not a destination.
The break-out workshops discussed above were mostly on a different floor than the main talks but there were also experiences throughout the week, including a tea ceremony on the roof deck (below).
Other experiences included the meditation with light experience with Neuromatrix, which I did (see my video on it). Transcranial photobiomodulation has been shown to improve blood flow, decrease inflammation, improve mood, increase beneficial signaling in neurons, support brain recovery and improve cognitive function. For me, I just felt deeply relaxed as I jokingly say in the video, “mini stoned.” I also took a look at Sensoria, which aims to scale neurophenomenology data collection via certified psychonauts and immersive events to map consciousness to serve mental health, social cohesion and help people flourish.
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Digital Wisdom delivers personalized wisdom at scale by helping people retain more clients and improve client results, provide real-time support for group programs, increase conversations and get more qualified leads. They also have an Avatar app, which is essentially lightweight coaching via AI.
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There were many more products, apps and solutions as well as books by authors available as well as an opportunity to meditate under the Stargate, which they describe as an interdimensional doorway, In other words, it’s a sacred geometric structure that emits a powerful, high-vibrational energy field that many people can feel.
There was plenty of social time as well to meet and greet other like-minded people who are interested in the convergence of these disciplines. It was great to see old friends from my social media, SXSW, D, CES, Web 2.0 and TED days and make new ones. What I loved most was the diversity of people that Nichol brought together, from neuroscience, physics, biology and research to AI, IoT, enterprise solutions, medicine and beyond. Below are some casual shots taken throughout the course of the week.
On the left, the producer of the Summit, Nichol Bradford
Tim Chang of the Mayfield Fund speaks on a panel on the main stage.
Chris Heuer, Dr. Ron Chiarello, Renee Blodgett
Renee Blodgett with HeartMath’s Dr. Rolin McCraty and Nachum Plonkia
Below, the Song Wall.
Upstairs on the roof during a networking break
Jennifer Hill, Dr. Shamini Jain, Renee Blodgett
Laura Inserra gave us an incredible sound healing experience at the end of the last day. A world renowned sound alchemist and technician of the sacred, she lives and creates at the confluence of music, wisdom schools, and cutting-edge technology.
Says Laura, “The essence of the Universe is vibration, quenchless energy in motion, e-motion. My work is about experiencing the ‘source’ and its manifestation through sound, emotions, and awareness.“ I absolutely loved her energy.
Kumaar Bagrodia speaks on Dharma, Karma and Mental Health among expanded topics
Dr. Beverly Rubik, Amy Li, Renee Blodgett
Discussing physics and synchronicity with Sky Nelson-Isaacs
The Human+Tech team on stage at the end of the last day. It’s a wrap.
Nichol Bradford thanking her team
As Gordy pointed out and others echoed: If the 2000’s were about our physical health, the 2010’s about our mental health, the 2020’s about our emotional wealth, then perhaps 2030 will be the start of a decade about our spiritual health. People are clamoring to connect to their souls and we can see it happening all around us.
Below is a shot taken at the final networking party on the last night.
Here’s a short video summary of my experience at Human+Tech. Although I didn’t make it to every talk or session, I managed to get to many of them and more importantly, connect and have in-depth and meaningful conversations with people who bringing these worlds together. We hope they do this again in 2026 and if so, we’ll be sure to let you know the dates and what to expect. This year’s event gets a major two thumbs up from me!
For more information on Human+Tech Week, be sure to visit their website.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
