Our mission

By some measures, things are going well for humanity. There are more of us, and we have more toys and technologies. More of us get a voice and vote, and there are more places to exercise those. We are collectively living longer. But other measures offer a less rosy picture of our present conditions and forecast additional future challenges. Financial and health inequalities, resource scarcity, environmental crises, and chronic diseases are all steadily worsening. Because technologies have played a key role in both improving and worsening these issues, addressing these challenges will require social and technological solutions.  Some of the challenges that will be explored include automation and artificial intelligence, free and accurate information, and transitioning to sustainable economies.

Unique solutions are needed in order to address the key sociotechnical issues challenging humanity, solutions that must be based on thoughtful, thorough, and impartial research done, in part, by those outside the tech sector.  We also need more voices participating in the conversations about the ends to which new technologies are used and their impacts on our ability to live lives of meaning and of our own choosing. The research necessary for the public to participate in these tech conversations and make meaningful decisions does exist, but it is typically fragmented, politicized, and dispersed too broadly for average people to easily access and make use of it. We aim to change that by compiling and helping make sense of the vast body of relevant information required to address these key challenges. 

The founders of Verum fundamentally believe in the inherent intelligence and goodness of humanity. We trust that human beings, when given access to the full range of information presented in an impartial and unbiased way, will make meaningful and appropriate decisions that will better themselves and their communities. Our reports, then, support that education and decision making by providing multiple levels of detail so individuals can explore at an appropriate level, links to additional resources that encourage further self-study if desired, and a diverse list of opportunities shared so that people can contribute their chosen solution to address the issue.