While technological advancements create new opportunities, they also raise critical questions. In this article, we explore digital humanism as a design approach that prioritises human dignity, freedom, autonomy and respect for individual rights in technological development.

The rapid and widespread digital transformation that is currently unfolding offers new opportunities but also poses significant challenges at both the individual and societal levels. This means structural and rapid change for businesses and societies, with technologies disrupting and transforming established practices and balances of power. In this new operating environment, organisational success increasingly depends on the ability to leverage emerging technologies. However, the convergence of data, algorithms, and ever-expanding computing capabilities are causing a gradual dissolution of the boundaries that delineate human beings and machines, and the physical and virtual domains. Also, ever-expanding forms of digital communication are increasingly shaping our social relationships and perceptions of the world. Given that digital infrastructures are deeply embedded in the basic structures of society, the digital transformation must be viewed as a simultaneous social, technical and economic transformation.

As digital technology has become more widespread in various fields, policymakers and researchers have become increasingly interested in understanding its impact on individuals, organisations and society. Europe has also become politically aware of the digital transformation. According to the EU’s vision for digitalisation, ’digital solutions that put people first will open up new opportunities for businesses, encourage the development of trustworthy technology, foster an open and democratic society, enable a vibrant and sustainable economy, help fight climate change and achieve the green transition’ (EU, 2021). Therefore, digitalisation, with its wide-ranging effects, must be guided by broad public debate and thoughtful political regulation that considers its benefits and drawbacks and is based on fundamental and human rights, as well as environmental responsibility. Understanding the digital transformation and its impacts also requires new approaches to planning for the digital future.

Digital humanism aims to create a more humane digital future

Amidst myriad broad and complex societal challenges and a sustainable development crisis, digital humanism has emerged as an approach to guide digital transformation by capitalising on the opportunities offered by digital technologies. It is rooted in universal human values and rights, emphasising people’s agency, participation and responsibility for sustainable development. The 2019 Vienna Manifesto sets out the guidelines for digital humanism, calling for digitalisation to be steered in a democratic, human rights-respecting and inclusive direction. The manifesto emphasises that technology is not neutral and calls for transparency, accountability, regulation and the protection of privacy and freedom of expression. The manifesto also stresses the importance of active human agency in decision-making processes over automation. It asserts that the development of digital technology should be a social project involving everyone and requiring multi-stakeholder, multi-level discussion and concrete action. (DIGHUM, 2019; Werthner et al., 2024). The manifesto has already been signed by over 1,200 people, and digital humanism is emerging as an independent field of research.

According to Werthner et al. (2024), digital humanism builds on the tradition of humanism, emphasising human dignity, autonomy and responsibility, as well as enlightenment ideals such as reason, culture and human rights. The aim of this approach is to combine the development of digital technology with human needs and rights in a new way. The noble idea behind it is to ensure that, as digital technologies become more deeply and widely rooted in people’s everyday lives and society, we act as enlightened humanists and guide technological development based on the values of humanism and enlightenment. In practice, digital humanism seeks to address the challenges and opportunities presented by technology by directing research, education and regulation so that digital solutions and environments serve people and, more broadly, the greater good. The focus is on developing people’s broad vision and critical thinking skills, rather than acquiring large amounts of information or narrow skills. (Werthner et al., 2024). Digital humanism interprets and seeks to guide the digital transformation based on the core ideas of humanism, rejecting both mechanistic reductionism (’people are machines’) and animistic delusion (’machines are like people’). Research on digital humanism also distances itself from techno-utopian views of a self-correcting, flawless ’digital paradise’ that ignores human fallibility (Nida-Rümelin and Staudacher, 2024).

Digital humanism adopts a holistic approach to the digital transition

Nida-Rümelin and Staudacher (2024, p. 17) characterise digital humanism as ’an ethics for the digital age that interprets and shapes the process of digital transformation in accordance with the core concepts of humanist philosophy and practice’. They define humanism in this context as ’what actually constitutes being human, combined with a practice that corresponds to this humanistic ideal as much as possible’ (Nida-Rümelin & Staudacher, 2024, p. 18). However, it is recognised that focusing solely on ethics or privacy when designing digital services and systems is insufficient. Solving large-scale problems requires a comprehensive design approach. Prem (2024) argues that, in addition to technology and computer science, digital humanism requires collaboration across disciplines, including the social sciences, law, political science, education and philosophy. In practice, this means that: (1) systems are designed to be reliable, explainable and repairable; (2) democratic governance, competition and fundamental rights are strengthened on digital platforms; and (3) the boundaries of what can be expected from machines and humans are clarified. Thus, the digital humanism initiative is simultaneously a technical, political, and philosophical framework. (Prem, 2024).

Key areas of current research in digital humanism include the balance of power between artificial intelligence and human control, and the impact of technology on democratic practices and participation in democracy. The discussion also addresses the ethical and philosophical dimensions of technology. Other areas of focus include the relationship between the arts and information technology, examining the transformation of creativity and culture, as well as issues related to data, algorithms and fairness. This involves weighing up the opportunities and risks of technology in terms of social justice. The research area also explores the influence of the platform economy, the social impact of major players, the role of education and future skills in transforming working life, digital geopolitics and sovereignty amidst tensions between national borders and global technologies, and societal and systemic changes driven by technological advancements. (Werthner et al., 2024).

Digital humanism as a design approach for shaping digital futures

As a design practice, digital humanism involves viewing the design of digital services and systems as an interconnected whole that encompasses technical, social, cultural, and ethical dimensions. The following implementation of digital humanism has been suggested: (1) The transparent and justified definition of values, goals and impacts; (2) Participatory and deliberative co-design. (3) Continuous evaluation, learning and corrective guidance throughout the entire life cycle (Zuber et al., 2024; Winter, 2024; Bon, Saa-Dittoh and Akkermans, 2024; Bennaceur et al., 2024). However, digital humanism currently offers few concrete design methods. Instead, it serves as a theoretical and philosophical framework that translates key principles — human dignity, autonomy, democracy, and privacy — into requirements that guide design. The Digital Humanism Manifesto can be regarded as a compendium of normative principles that can be utilised to direct the development of digital services and systems more broadly.

For digital transformation to succeed, there must be widespread adoption of practices and attitudes that raise awareness of the diverse socio-technical contexts of digital technology and help actors understand the dynamics of complex, non-linear systems (Nowotny, 2022). From the perspective of digital humanism, designers of digital services and systems must make the basis of their design values transparent. This involves identifying, articulating and weighing up different value constellations, which are often in competition with each other. Alongside the digital humanism trend, various frameworks have emerged that expand the concept of user-centredness (such as humanity-centered design, life-centred design, and More-Than-Human), emphasising long-term systemic impacts, ecological constraints, and a broader range of stakeholders (Norman, 2023; Borthwick et al., 2022; Rosén et al., 2024). Systematically comparing and synthesising these approaches is the next logical step to clarify how they support value-based design and provide practical guidance at the different stages of the digital transition.

Authors

• Dr. Sami Kauppinen is a senior specialist and researcher. He has extensive experience in leading national and international innovation and digital transformation projects with a focus on design research, service logic, and human–computer interaction.
• Dr. Satu Luojus is a principal lecturer and researcher with over 20 years of experience in human-centred design, co-creation, and user experience research. Her work focuses on leadership and organizational culture as key enablers of multidisciplinary innovation and the development of digital services and ecosystems. She leads the Master’s Degree Programme in Digital Futures and Design.
• Anna Salmi is a senior lecturer and researcher with expertise in co-design, service ecosystems, and digital transformation. She has worked extensively in national and international R&D projects, fostering collaboration across societal sectors. Her work reflects a digital humanism perspective, focusing on ethical, participatory, and human‑centred design practices.

This article relates to the AI-SECRETT project, which aims to establish a Master’s programme promoting advanced digital skills and human-centred innovation through artificial intelligence (AI). The project is co‑funded by the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101226207. For more information, visit: aisecrett.eu

References

• Bennaceur, A., Ghezzi, C., Kramer, J. & Nuseibeh, B. 2024. Responsible Software Engineering: Requirements and Goals. In: H. Werthner, C. Ghezzi, J. Kramer, J. Nida Rümelin, B. Nuseibeh, E. Prem & A. Stanger (eds.), Introduction to Digital Humanism: A Textbook, 299–315. Cham: Springer.
• Bon, A., Saa Dittoh, F. & Akkermans, H. 2024. Bridging the Digital Divide. In: H. Werthner, C. Ghezzi, J. Kramer, J. Nida Rümelin, B. Nuseibeh, E. Prem & A. Stanger (eds.), Introduction to Digital Humanism: A Textbook, 283–298. Cham: Springer.
• Borthwick, M., Tomitsch, M. & Gaughwin, M. 2022. From human centred to life centred design: Considering environmental and ethical concerns in the design of interactive products. Journal of Responsible Technology, 10, 100032. [doaj.org]
• DIGHUM. 2019. Vienna Manifesto on Digital Humanism. Accessed 31 January 2026.
• European commission (n.d.) Digital transition. Accessed 3 February 2026.
• Nida Rümelin, J. & Staudacher, K. 2024. Philosophical foundations of digital humanism. In: H. Werthner, C. Ghezzi, J. Kramer, J. Nida Rümelin, B. Nuseibeh, E. Prem & A. Stanger (eds.), Introduction to Digital Humanism: A Textbook, 17–30. Cham: Springer.
• Norman, D. 2023. Design for a Better World: Meaningful, Sustainable, Humanity Centered. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
• Nowotny, H. 2022. Digital humanism: Navigating the tensions ahead. In: H. Werthner, E. Prem, E. A. Lee & C. Ghezzi (eds.), Perspectives on Digital Humanism, 317–321. Cham: Springer.
• Prem, E. 2024. Principles of digital humanism: A critical post humanist view. Journal of Responsible Technology, 17, 100075.
• Zuber, N., Gogoll, J., Kacianka, S., Nida Rümelin, J. & Pretschner, A. 2024. Value Sensitive Software Design: Ethical Deliberation in Agile Development Processes. In: H. Werthner, C. Ghezzi, J. Kramer, J. Nida Rümelin, B. Nuseibeh, E. Prem & A. Stanger (eds.), Introduction to Digital Humanism: A Textbook, 339–358. Cham: Springer.
• Werthner, H., Ghezzi, C., Kramer, J., Nida Rümelin, J., Nuseibeh, B., Prem, E. & Stanger, A. (eds.) 2024. Introduction to Digital Humanism: A Textbook. Cham: Springer.
• Winter, S. 2024. The Road Less Taken: Pathways to Ethical and Responsible Technologies. In: H. Werthner, C. Ghezzi, J. Kramer, J. Nida Rümelin, B. Nuseibeh, E. Prem & A. Stanger (eds.), Introduction to Digital Humanism: A Textbook, 267–281. Cham: Springer.

The text’s language has been refined using DeepL.