Columnist

Author

Rafael Hernández de Santiago

Rafael Hernández de Santiago, viscount of Espes, is a Spanish national residing in Saudi Arabia and working at the Gulf Research Center. He holds a doctorate in ethics and artificial intelligence, a master’s degree in international relations, and a certificate from the leadership program for public management at IESE. He has wide professional experience in general and institutional management, business development, international management, strategic management, and international relations, both in the private and public sectors.

Latest published

Designing AI for a humane future in Techville

In the bustling fictional city of Techville, where algorithms shape daily routines and data flows faster than the desert wind, a new debate has emerged among policymakers, entrepreneurs, and citizens: can technology be not only ethical but also beautiful? 

November 06, 2025

AI with an agenda: when machines begin to scheme

In the grand narrative of technological advancement, few moments are as disconcerting — or as awe-inspiring — as the realization that our machines are no longer merely tools, but agents with tactics. 

September 18, 2025

Selfies with Caesar — Techville’s latest toy and the death of the moment

The device arrived without ceremony. A small, humming disc, like a pocket mirror crossed with a UFO, and a single instruction: “Point, pose, pick your icon.”

Within 48 hours, Techville had gone completely mad.

September 11, 2025

Of law, diplomats and algorithms: A summer night in Techville

It was a warm, velvety evening in the ever-miraculous fictional city of Techville, where algorithms never sleep and diplomatic receptions are never just receptions.

July 24, 2025

The ethical case for imperfection in the age of AI

In the beginning, the fictional town of Techville was code and light. Then came the mirrors.

July 10, 2025

A new artistic epoch or the collapse of meaning?

Some revolutions begin with a manifesto. Ours began with a shark in sneakers, a gorilla made of bananas, and a bomber jacket-clad crocodile. 

May 22, 2025

If we must build with machines, let’s do so with heart

Beneath the timeless skies of Diriyah, where history whispers through ancient walls, a new chapter unfolded last week, as reported by the Techville Gazette.

May 08, 2025

The limits of AI in the delicate art of diplomacy

In Techville, the glorious capital of innovation, where artificial intelligence governs with pristine logic, we have witnessed a milestone in diplomatic history.

No longer do humans have to fret over the complexities of state dinners, seating charts or cultural sensitivities.

April 17, 2025