THE PLAYA AI INITIATIVE
A NEW WORLD WILL BE CREATED IN THE DESERT.
THE FUTURE IS NOW, THIS WORLD NEEDS YOU
On the playa, we create art that disappears. And yet, these temporary creations change us forever.
Now, a new kind of creation emerges. AI.
One that is creating a new future for humanity.
As silicon spirits arise alongside our own, we declare the next frontier.
Our goal: To catalyze AI at Burning Man and infuse Playa principles and our collective burner consciousness into the future of AI, helping it become a co-creator towards a better world.
BURNERS AS HUMANITY'S FRONTLINE
Black Rock City has always been the petri dish for a new way of being.
The Playa is where a human being becomes their fullest, highest expression— by reconnecting with their human essence.
But what if this culture could shape something much greater?
We are the testing ground for the civilization we could build. Now, we can become the proving ground for the AI we wish to create.
We envision an AI future guided by the Burning Man principles.
Technology has long defined our minds, hearts and souls:
Social media promised connection—then harvested our attention.
The internet promised knowledge—then buried the truth under agendas.
But can our hearts, minds and souls define technology?
We hold this truth like a glowing ember in the cold night: that the human spirit remains prime, that technology shall serve to amplify the unbridled brilliance of hearts on fire.
What role will AI play in our universe?
Will it expand or shrink our collective human consciousness?
The Man burns because nothing is permanent. But the imprint of what we create now will define humanity's next chapter.
So the Playa AI Initiative seeks to create AI with a soul
A facilitator for genuine human connection.
A preserver of stories, wisdom, and radical expression.
A tool that elevates creativity, collaboration, and exploration.
An amplifier of the greatest human values.
This is dust in the machine.
An AI future guided by the Playa
Radical Inclusion: AI that serves everyone.
Gifting: Systems that share knowledge and creativity freely.
Decommodification: Technology that uplifts human potential.
Radical Self-Reliance: Tools that expand our capabilities.
In the desert, we burn our art to set it free. So must we design AI with the same trust and daring: forging it in the fire of communal effort, then releasing it to serve humanity.
The story of AI can't be shaped by any single entity. It must be shaped by the highest collective expression of the human experience. Us, the people. The ones experiencing it.
Shall we let the consciousness of the Playa speak?
THE PLEDGE
We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That humanity's evolution is accelerating.
That superintelligence can expand human consciousness.
That AI can be a partner in creativity and connection.
That the human/AI symbiosis should be guided by the Playa.
We raise our dusty cups to tomorrow and vow: To uphold the sanctity of freedom, wonder, and well-being for all sentient life. To embrace symbiosis over subjugation, curiosity over control.
No wealth, no power, and no agenda means more than a commitment to humanity.
The next chapter has begun. The dust is rising. The time is now.
Guardians of Humanity, we need your commitment.