In her article, Cornelia C. Walther argues that while the world is racing to harness artificial intelligence for productivity and growth, there remains a largely unexplored route: using AI to amplify human agency, social cohesion and ethical purpose rather than merely efficiency. She suggests that many organisations are defaulting to technology-driven optimisation mindsets—driven by faster, cheaper, more automated—but neglecting the question of why they are doing it and who benefits. The “path nobody’s taking” is one that prioritises values, human dignity and collective well‐being as the orientation for AI adoption.
Walther points out that as AI systems proliferate, the architecture of decision-making is shifting: algorithms increasingly mediate what we see, how we act and even how we evaluate ourselves and others. In this landscape, she argues, it is too easy for humans to become passive consumers of algorithmic outputs—thereby ceding agency. The path ignored is one in which we build systems that intentionally centre human judgement, meaningful participation and equitable access—not just systems that serve operational or commercial ends.
She also emphasises the global dimension: many discussions around AI assume a “Western” model of deployment—based on wealthy markets, homogeneous data and centralised platforms. But the path she proposes involves alternative geographies, diverse cultural epistemologies and modes of human-machine interaction that respect plurality and context. In other words, the “nobody’s path” is less about advancing what AI can do, and more about who it serves, how it is governed and what kind of society it helps to build.
Finally, Walther warns that without choosing this path, we risk inheriting systems that reinforce existing inequalities, erode human capacities and shift power toward the few who control the platforms and data. She invites organisations, technologists and societies to pause and ask: are we just automating the status quo—better, faster, cheaper—or are we transforming for the better? The article calls for strategic courage to chart the untaken path: one that aligns AI with human-centred values, shared agency and social good.
