Symposium 2026: “Unmasking the Machines”

Symposium 2026

The Starr King Symposium is an ongoing experiment in offering multi-locational, hybrid education, structuring a program that supports the full participation of persons who may gather either in person or online. The program will feature a variety of contributing presenters and panelists, as well as community forums for reflection and discerning shared insights. You may participate in Symposium through Zoom or by staying on site at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos, California.

Unmasking the Machines: Sustaining Spiritual Community in the Technocracy

Current social discourse portrays experimental “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) technologies as inevitable tools of progress that will radically transform how we live, work, play – and even pray. Such narratives have been driven by wealthy techno-authoritarians whose increasing opposition to democratic governance is framed by quasi-messianic beliefs in acceleration, or the rapid restructuring of civilization under the guidance of a paternalistic elite. This narrative is contested, meanwhile, by multiple critiques of AI as an overhyped set of software tools that generate negative social, political, environmental, and cognitive impacts.

During the 2026 Starr King Symposium, our task will be to ask deeper questions beyond a binary of technological revolution and revulsion. We will engage critical and constructive responses to the emerging technocracy—not simply in the realm of ideas, but in practice. Examining the nuanced ways in which these technologies can be both harmful and beneficial to living and leading in an era of accelerating transformation supports our understanding of the complexity and context of this moment. Learning from expert practitioners at the intersections of technology, social justice, and religious thought will inform our collective deliberation in search of shared wisdom and ethics. Together, we are invited to explore what it means to conscientiously create just and sustainable community in a time of rapid techno-social change.

The Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos

The host site for in-person engagement with the 2026 Symposium is the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos, located on the San Francisco Peninsula. The Center occupies a 38-acre hillside campus featuring scenic views, a peaceful courtyard, walking trails, and a meditative outdoor labyrinth.

Attendees will stay in private bedrooms, each including a twin bed, writing table, and personal bathroom. The facility is air conditioned. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served in JRC’s dining room and coffee/tea service is available throughout the day.

JRC is located approximately 19 miles from San Jose International Airport and 32 miles from San Francisco International Airport. Public transit (Caltrain and Valley Transit Authority buses) can deliver travelers to about one-half mile from the campus, but it is most easily accessed by personal vehicle or rideshare service. Free onsite parking is available.

Registration

Symposium participants will have three options for program attendance:

1. Online via Zoom | Cost: $25
2. Full In-Person Program at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos, CA. Fees cover lodging and meals Monday afternoon-Wednesday lunch | Cost: $375.
3. Day-Use at JRC (Tuesday Only). Receive the Zoom link for Monday and Wednesday sessions and commute to JRC for Tuesday sessions. Fees cover attendance during the day, lunch, and optional dinner | Cost: $105 (lunch only) or $130 (lunch and dinner).

Registration is now open. In-person registration must be made by July 27. Online registration may be completed by August 28.

Student Registration

Registration for summer and fall courses is open now – students can register in Populi for the Symposium session that reflects their attendance plans (Online or California).

For students who are attending in person at JRC, the cost of room and board will be 50% subsidized by Starr King. Physical attendees must register in Populi by July 27 and will be billed $175 for their stay at the retreat center.

Tentative Schedule

Monday, August 25

3:00 pm PT/6:00 pm ET     -     In-Gathering Worship

4:00 pm PT/7:00 pm ET    –     When No Thing Works

5:30 pm PT     –     Dinner (Mercy Center)

Tuesday, August 26

7:30 am PT    –     Breakfast (Mercy Center)

9:00 am PT/12:00 pm ET    –     Preparing for Polycrisis

10:00 am PT/1:00 pm ET    –     Practicing Mutual Aid

11:00 am PT/2:00 pm ET    –     Praxis Circle: Fostering Resilient Religious Communities

12:00 pm PT    –     Lunch (Mercy Center)

1:30 pm PT/4:30 pm ET    –     Praxis Circle: Chaplaincy in Disruptive Times

3:00 pm PT/6:00 pm ET    –     What Webs Require: Conflict Engagement Beyond Purity and Punishment

4:30 pm PT/7:30 pm ET    –     Praxis Circle: Organizing Towards Transformation

5:30 pm PT    –     Dinner (Mercy Center)

Wednesday, August 27

7:30 am PT    –     Breakfast (Mercy Center)

9:00 am PT/12:00 pm ET    –     Small Group Dialogues

10:00 am PT/1:00 pm ET    –     Reflecting in the Spirit

11:30 am PT/2:30 pm PT    –     Closing Ritual

12:00 pm PT    –     Lunch (Mercy Center)

1:00 pm PT    –     Check-Out (Mercy Center)

Programs

Program descriptions and presenter bios coming soon.