Cover Social Good Summit 2026 asks what it means to be human in the age of AI (Photo: courtesy of Rappler)
Social Good Summit 2026 asks what it means to be human in the age of AI (Photo: courtesy of Rappler)
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As AI reshapes how we work, create and communicate, Rappler’s Social Good Summit 2026 will bring together experts, practitioners and learners to examine what humans need to protect, understand and carry forward
What does it mean to stay human when algorithms increasingly shape how we work, create, communicate and make sense of the world? For Rappler, the answer begins with learning—and with people coming together to ask better questions.
That is the thinking behind Social Good Summit 2026, which returns on November 21 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila. This year’s theme, “WE, THE HUMANS”, turns its attention to one of the most urgent conversations around technology: how human values, creativity, communities, privacy and safety can be protected amid the rapid rise of AI.
More from Tatler: In Conversation: Maria Ressa and Karen Davila on journalism in the age of AI
Learning to live with AI
The Social Good Summit is Rappler’s biggest fundraising event. While last year’s programme brought George and Amal Clooney to Manila for a conversation with Rappler CEO and 2021 Nobel laureate Maria Ressa on technology, accountability, human rights and justice, this year’s gathering takes a more practical approach.
For the first time, Rappler will bring its RappLearn AI literacy masterclasses to the summit. But before attendees head into the sessions, the plenary programme will bring together voices examining the wider question of where AI is taking humanity—and what people can do about it.
Read more: Why Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa says AI is but a marketing term
Above Expect high-level discussions and expert perspectives at Social Good Summit 2026 (Photo: courtesy of Rappler)
Expect high-level discussions and expert perspectives at Social Good Summit 2026 (Photo: courtesy of Rappler)
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The people behind the conversation
Among the speakers are three members of the United Nations Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, the UN’s highest expert advisory body on AI policy-making and governance: UN tech envoy Amandeep Singh Gill, AI Singapore’s Leslie Teo and Ressa herself.
Historian, thought leader and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari, whose books include Sapiens and Nexus, will also appear in a recorded conversation about where he sees AI taking humanity. His long-view perspective offers a different way of considering a technology that is developing at remarkable speed.
The programme will also feature Iza Calzado, mental health advocate, award-winning actress and co-founder of She Talks Asia, in a discussion about the effects of AI, social media and toxic corners of the internet on young people, families and communities.
Steph Naval, founder and CEO of Empath, will explore another increasingly relevant question: where should technology meet the human touch when it comes to mental health, isolation and loneliness? Meanwhile, senior editors and newsroom managers from across Southeast Asia will discuss the increasingly critical role of journalists amid AI-powered disinformation.
Six ways to learn
The main programme is only part of the day. Attendees can choose two of six RappLearn mini masterclasses, with one morning and one afternoon session.
The morning begins with How Safe Are You When AI is in the Room? Privacy and Personal Safety in the Age of AI Agents, led by Gemma Mendoza, head of strategic programs at Rappler. The session looks at how AI’s growing role in everyday life affects personal security and privacy, with participants taking home a personal digital wellness action plan.
Those more curious about building with AI can head to Talking to Machines: What a Newsroom Taught Me About Vibe Coding, led by Rappler’s chief data officer Don Kevin Hapal. Drawing from their deadline-driven newsroom, the session includes a live collaborative build where participants direct AI to create a working tool from scratch and troubleshoot it in real time.
Meanwhile, #AnimatED: The Art of the Animated Editorial Cartoon, led by their graphic artist Nico Villarete and creative director Emil Mercado, brings journalism, satire, illustration and motion design together. Participants will explore how political and social commentary can become engaging animated visual stories.
Above Learn more about the RappLearn Mini Masterclasses at Social Good Summit 2026 (Photo: courtesy of Rappler)
Learn more about the RappLearn Mini Masterclasses at Social Good Summit 2026 (Photo: courtesy of Rappler)
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The afternoon sessions shift the lens towards organisations, data and the climate crisis. Under Pressure: A Masterclass on Reputation and Risk, led by marketing lead Miko Superable and chief innovation and transformation officer Carla Yap-Sy Su, draws on Rappler’s newsroom experience to examine storytelling, trusted relationships, brand resilience and crisis management in the AI age.
For professionals working with numbers and research, Turning Insights into Impact: Data-driven Storytelling for Professionals, led by head of strategy for business intelligence Kit Posadas and lead forensics researcher Pauline Macaraeg, looks at how credible data can become clear, compelling narratives. The session covers sourcing and analysing data, structuring stories, visualising insights and communicating findings across business, policy and communications.
Then there’s Living in Water: A 360° Immersion into the Climate Crisis, by Ana P Santos and the Atlantic Institute. The 15-minute virtual reality documentary takes viewers to Isla Tibaguin, Bulacan, where rising sea levels have turned streets into rivers nearly every day. Making its large-scale premiere at the summit, the session will also include a talkback with Santos and members of the community featured in the film.
The bigger conversation
Taken together, the programme asks questions that extend beyond the technology itself. How do we protect personal data when AI agents enter daily life? What happens to journalism when disinformation can be generated at scale? Where does automation help—and where does human connection still matter? The premise is simple: preparing for AI requires more than learning how to use new tools. It also means asking what we want those tools to do, whom they serve and what we want to protect along the way.
The Social Good Summit 2026 is co-presented by the MacArthur Foundation and Journalism for Nation Building Foundation, with Tatler Philippines as media partner. Proceeds from the event will fund Rappler’s AI literacy programmes, as well as its investigative and explanatory journalism. Each ticket also includes three months of Rappler+ membership.
Tickets are available here: rplr.co/sgs-tickets.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is a digital editor at Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
