Nottingham · Beeston Library
Hosted by Venanzio
Discuss Cory Doctorow’s critique of AI, labour and power at Beeston Library in Nottingham on 28 November 2026. Hosted by Venanzio for the Nottingham Humanist Book Club, this 90-minute meeting explores The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI by journalist and bestselling author Cory Doctorow. Rather than asking only what artificial intelligence can do, the book challenges readers to consider a more revealing question: who is the technology working for, and who is being made to work for it? AI through the lens of labour The discussion will unpack Doctorow’s distinction between a “centaur” and a “reverse centaur”. In automation theory, a centaur is someone who chooses to use technology to support work that matters to them. A reverse centaur, by contrast, is forced to assist a machine and keep pace with its demands. Examples raised by the book include: - Drivers pushed to make deliveries continuously - Warehouse workers denied reasonable food or bathroom breaks - Programmers expected to produce impossible quantities of code - People whose working conditions are dictated by automated systems This framing creates space for a wider conversation about AI hype, automation, worker agency and the distribution of technological power. Whether you want to criticise AI, use it or reject it, the meeting will focus on looking beyond abstract claims about capability to examine its effects on real lives and society. A welcoming humanist book discussion The event takes place from 2:00pm to 3:30pm GMT on Saturday 28 November 2026, in Room Bee 3 at Beeston Library, Foster Avenue, Beeston, NG9 1AE. You do not need to have read the book. The session is designed as an accessible book-club conversation for anyone interested in AI and society, AI ethics, humanism or the changing nature of work. Readers can bring their interpretation of Doctorow’s argument, while newcomers can participate through their interest in the subject and in humanist values. View the event and registration details
