Current issues such as AI, disinformation, and the impact on our democracy will be extensively addressed. The initiative comes from the Mozilla Foundation, the open-source organization behind the Firefox browser that has been committed to a healthier internet for decades. The organization works closely with local partners such as the municipality of Amsterdam, Digital Rights House and Waag.
Mozilla broke the browser monopoly of Microsoft in the early 2000s with the launch of Firefox. In 2019, Mozilla focused on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI): AI can advance humanity, but it can also harm it. Therefore, Mozilla Festival provides a platform for experts and activists to work on a responsible application of AI technology.
Speakers on social injustice of technology
The keynote speakers include Mona Cahalbi (Pulitzer Prize winner and data journalist at The Guardian); Marwa Fatafta (Palestinian writer and MENA Policy and Advocacy Director for Access Now); Kambale Musavuli (human rights activist) and Julia Angwin (investigative journalist). They share insights on how data shapes the world, the use of AI in wartime, and how technology inadvertently contributes to social injustice.
Interactive sessions on the impact of AI
Additionally, MozFest House offers more than 30 interactive sessions, where participants address issues such as exploitation in the 'gig economy', disinformation during elections, privacy and security issues on dating apps, and the use of AI for surveillance. Experts from the Dutch DROG Group will demonstrate techniques to combat disinformation.
Ethical AI and the role of journalism
Mozilla and EleutherAI, both active in open-source AI, bring together experts in a workshop on ethical open-source training datasets. They present 'The Pile v2', an open dataset for training large language models. Participants then collaborate on open ethical guidelines that will be published later this year. The workshop is part of Mozilla's efforts to strengthen the open-source AI community.
In collaboration with the Pulitzer Center's Crisis Reporting Team, Mozilla Festival also organizes a series of panels and workshops on AI reporting and how journalists can hold AI creators accountable.
Toshi Reagon's 'Songs of the Living'
During MozFest, there is also space for the artistic side of these themes, including the performance of "Songs of the Living", a community choir led by American musician Toshi Reagon, daughter of Bernice Johnson Reagon and Cordell Hull Reagon. Both prominent figures in the American civil rights movement. The singer-songwriter is known for addressing social issues in her work.
Inspired by the Parable novels of science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, which center on the survival of humanity in a world ravaged by climate, polarization, and technology, she uses music and art as a medium for togetherness and solidarity. With "Songs of the Living", Reagon and Mozilla Festival invite everyone to raise their voice and sing along in the choir. The concert is produced in collaboration with the Rotterdam production house Together & Dedicated, founded by André Marques and Tim Wes, known for the Grachtenfestival among others.
MozFest House is further enriched with a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company and various other artists, including Luna Maurer, Eric Klarenbeek, and Rise25 award winner Julia Janssen.
J. Bob Alotta, Executive Director of MozFest, explains: "In a historic year with more than 50 elections affecting billions of citizens worldwide, we see how important it is to work together for change. But this power can be applied more broadly than just during elections. In an era of powerful AI and even more powerful technology companies, we must act together for fair technology policy, the development of open-source technology, and making AI trustworthy."
MozFest House was last in Amsterdam in 2023. At that time, the festival drew attention with a keynote from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, more than 50 sessions on trustworthy AI, and a healthier internet.
MozFest House takes place at the Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam.
For more information about the event and registration, visit www.mozillafestival.org.
