Freyja van den Boom (Singapore) is a transdisciplinary academic and beyond-human rights activist who uses arts, speculative (legal) design, and futures & foresight to provoke discussions on governing emerging technologies. Fascinated by human-AI interactions, she co-founded the first EU political party advocating for robot rights in 2014, urging the public to stand up for equal rights for robots and their representation in politics. The ROBOTPARTY aimed to ensure policymakers considered the interests of robots in digital innovation regulations. However, we were wrong, people continue to exploit at AI for political and personal gains which causes harm and injustice to people, communities, and ecosystems.

To foster sustainable futures, we must rethink governance. This led to the founding of the first sovereign state, (www.UnmannedFutures.com) where we look at various beyond-human rights governance structures for true equality. The McLuhan Project, exploring the rights and responsibilities in raising autonomous beings, naturally followed, raising critical questions about the rights and responsibilities of those involved in the raising and adoption of autonomous beings in our present and futures societies.