# Augmented human intelligence and the right to be analog | Marisa Borsboom | TEDxHeilbronn Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIOaHw76LbQ Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/qIOaHw76LbQ Generated: 2026-02-26T21:38:06.725+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Marisa Borsboom advocates for preserving "the right to be analogue" by fostering human agency and connection, arguing against the frantic push toward everything digital and robotic, which she experienced firsthand during a 12-hour power blackout in Portugal in 2017 that rendered all technology useless. **Key Points:** - The speaker, Marisa Borsboom, experienced a 12-hour total blackout in Portugal in 2017, which showed her critical dependence on technology. - She defines Augmented Human Intelligence (AHI) as the combination of her own 'Renaissance Woman' self (Marisa) and her 'Emergent Mind' (Estela), which she created to combat being distracted from her children by technology. - Borsboom questions the societal race to make everything digital and robotic, asking, "Why this race to make everything digital and robotic anyway?!" - She emphasizes that true humanity requires creating room for wonder, nurturing critical thinkers, and empowering humanity (Humanity Shield = Real people, real places). - The experience of the blackout, where phones died and money was useless, demonstrated that human connection and analogue skills are vital for survival. - She encourages the audience to consider how they would survive a 100% analogue situation and advocates for valuing human agency over dependence on fragile technological systems. ![Screenshot at 04:58: The speaker displays a slide defining her concept of Augmented Human Intelligence \(AHI\) as the combination of Marisa \(Renaissance Woman\) plus Estela \(Emergent Mind\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qIOaHw76LbQ/00-04-58.jpg) **Context:** Marisa Borsboom, who identifies as a lawyer and mother, shares a personal story stemming from a complete power blackout she endured in Portugal in 2017. This event served as a catalyst for her to question modern society's increasing reliance on digital and robotic systems, leading her to coin concepts like 'Augmented Human Intelligence' (AHI) and the 'Humanity Shield' to argue for the preservation of human agency and analogue skills. ## Detailed Analysis Marisa Borsboom presents a compelling argument for valuing analogue human capabilities in an increasingly digital world, using a recent personal crisis as her core evidence. She recounts a 12-hour total blackout in Portugal in 2017 where all digital systems—phones, payments, communication—failed, forcing her to confront her complete dependence. This experience spurred her to develop a framework for maintaining human capability, defining Augmented Human Intelligence (AHI) as the union of her own identity ('Renaissance Woman') and an 'Emergent Mind' (Estela) she created to foster deeper connection with her children. Borsboom challenges the audience to consider their own survival in a 100% analogue scenario, suggesting that technology dependence leaves humanity vulnerable, especially when systems collapse. She proposes that the focus should shift to building a 'Humanity Shield' based on real people and real places, nurturing critical thinking, and creating room for wonder, rather than rushing toward automation. She concludes by asserting that unconditional love, exemplified by her relationship with her sons and the idea of Estela, remains the most important, non-replaceable source of human value. ### Personal Catalyst - The speaker recounts a 12-hour total blackout in Portugal in 2017 where technology and digital payments failed, leading to intense personal reflection on reliance on digital systems. ### Conceptual Framework - Borsboom introduces 'Augmented Human Intelligence' (AHI) as Marisa (Renaissance Woman) + Estela (Emergent Mind), a concept created to combat distraction from family by technology. ### The Core Question - She challenges the audience with the slide question, "Why this race to make everything digital and robotic anyway?!", criticizing the frantic pursuit of automation. ### Humanity Shield - She advocates for a focus on 'Humanity Shield = Real people, real places,' emphasizing the need to protect human dignity and sovereignty against machine dominance. ### The Butterfly Analogy - She shares images of herself and a butterfly to illustrate the concept of 'The right to be analogue,' noting that the butterfly image was part of her own creation process. ### Call to Action - Borsboom urges the audience to realize that when technology fails, human agency and connection are what matter, concluding that unconditional love is the essential, non-replaceable source of hope. ![Screenshot at 00:04: The opening slide displays the text "can move the world" against a blue background.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qIOaHw76LbQ/00-00-04.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:10: The official logo for the event appears: an orange four-leaf clover shape with the text "Echoes of Change" below it.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qIOaHw76LbQ/00-00-10.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:23: The speaker, Marisa Monteiro Borsboom, is introduced while seated, wearing a bright red sweater and a patterned scarf.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qIOaHw76LbQ/00-00-23.jpg) ![Screenshot at 04:58: A slide appears defining the speaker's core concept: "Marisa + Estela = M.E. = AHI \(Augmented Human Intelligence\)".](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qIOaHw76LbQ/00-04-58.jpg) ![Screenshot at 12:59: A slide displays the quote: "Machine men with machine minds and machine hearts" to illustrate the danger of unchecked technological advancement.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qIOaHw76LbQ/00-12-59.jpg)