Dear Fellow Human,
I founded Proudly Human last year because I believe deeply that people care about protecting what makes each of us human: our unique stories, experiences and creative expression.
That belief has only grown stronger in recent months. Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, called for humans to be safeguarded in the age of AI. More recently, Oscar-winning director of The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan, spoke about the public’s “disdain” for AI and dismissed the idea that it will replace human beings as “nonsense.”
From the Vatican to the film industry, the message is becoming clearer: technological progress must not come at the expense of human creativity and dignity.
Below, you’ll meet some of the extraordinary creators whose work has recently been verified as ProudlyHuman™. I’m delighted to welcome them to our growing community, and I invite you to join them.
Best,
Alan Finkel
Founder and Chairman of Proudly Human
The collection of writings by Pope Leo XIV, Maps of Hope, has been verified by Proudly Human. As far as we know, this is a world first for a religious text.
The collection of early speeches, homilies and writings on education and AI ethics was produced by Australian Catholic University in collaboration with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.
The certification comes as Pope Leo XIV places human dignity and authorship at the centre of the global conversation about artificial intelligence.
“This isn’t a niche debate anymore; it’s the defining question of our time,” said Proudly Human CEO, Trevor Woods.
Luci Schroder is an award-winning Australian writer, director and producer whose short film Slapper has screened internationally, including at the Sundance Film Festival.
Slapper is the first film to be certified by Proudly Human as human-created, recognising the distinctly human vision, judgement and collaboration behind every frame.
“I hope to be the first of many filmmakers and artists across the world who stand behind this movement. Storytelling reminds us where we’ve come from, uncovers who we are, and helps us imagine where we might go. It is the fabric that connects us. It allows us to live inside someone else’s experience and feel the world through different eyes.”
As AI-generated content becomes increasingly common across the film industry, Luci’s certification give audiences clarity about the origins of Slapper and ensures the human creativity behind it is recognised.
Certified under Proudly Human’s de minimis guidelines for filmmakers, the film meets clear standards for where AI assistance ends and human authorship begins. The ProudlyHuman™ trust mark assures viewers that Slapper was created by humans, through a verification process developed with screen industry practitioners to reflect the collaborative nature of filmmaking.
Learn more about our de minimis guidelines for other creative industries.
Maryanne Moodie is an award-winning tapestry artist known for her nostalgic designs, unexpected colour combinations and richly textured woven wall hangings.
Her piece, Wildflowers, is the first tapestry to be certified by Proudly Human as human-created, recognising the time, skill and intensely personal meaning woven into every fibre.
“The work I make is slow because meaning takes time. In a world where AI can generate images in seconds, human-made is personal, which audiences want and respect. The Proudly Human verification is the answer to this critical and time-sensitive issue for the creative arts.”
This piece was woven from reclaimed silk, wool and cotton fibres, and was named a finalist in the 2026 Bay of Fires Art Prize.
A selection of recent interviews, articles and media coverage.
The tools claiming to catch AI writing such as the detectors, self-appointed ‘human-made’ statements, and cryptographic content credentials are all falling short of being able to provide definitive proof.
This Reuters Institute article explains why, and why the false positives matter when reputations are on the line.
The rapid adoption of AI tools has created enormous challenges for universities, with increasing reports of students using AI to produce assessed work.
We’ve begun working with some top universities to develop ‘Assured Assessment’, a trust mark that recognises courses where learning outcomes are assessed through appropriate assessment tasks, without undisclosed AI assistance.
By bringing greater transparency to assessment standards, Assured Assessment seeks to restore the confidence that a student’s degree and qualifications reflect their genuine knowledge, skills and achievements.
BBC - 2 July 2026 - Wonka Netflix Show Faces Backlash for AI-generated Gene Wilder Voice
Quarterly Essay - The God We Made: The Threat and Promise of Artificial Intelligence by Anna Goldsworthy
Smithsonian Magazine - 15 July 2026 - A.I. Music Is Already Here. To Protect Human Artists, the Record Industry Proposes New Labels, Like Those for Explicit Lyrics
All HipHip - 25 July 2026 - Herbie Hancock Sees AI Expanding In Music Despite Division Among Artists
The Hollywood Reporter - 29 July 2026 - Major Record Labels Call to Disqualify AI Slop Songs From Global Charts
The Guardian - 1 August 2026 - $2m crime novel deal collapses amid questions over AI use
Melbourne, Australia: Dr Alan Finkel will be speaking at a special panel discussion presented by Australian Catholic University on 5 August 2026.
The discussion will explore Maps of Hope, a collection of Pope Leo XIV’s reflections on education and AI.
Alan will bring his expertise to a timely conversation about education, human values and the rapidly changing role of artificial intelligence in society.
Edinburgh, Scotland: On 18 August 2026, Dr Alan Finkel will take the stage at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, alongside former DeepMind founding team member Steve Crossan for Inside the Machine.
Together they’ll explore the future of AI, the challenges facing governments and citizens, and what comes next as the technology continues to reshape society.
What is one film that could only have been created from a deeply human experience?
Reply and let us know in the comments!
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