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How will our “learning” and “play” change in the age of AI as technology evolves?
In this session, moderator Yoichi Ochiai will use the keyword “hunter-gatherer nature” as a cue to raise questions about our primal intellectual desires and creative behaviors.
Panelists include experts in diverse fields such as education, AI research, interface design, and global learning practices.
They will discuss the essence of “learning while playing” and the possibilities of physicality and creativity in future learning.

【Program Summary】
This program, “Learning and Playing in the Era of AI,” was held on July 28, 2025, from 10:00 to 12:00 as part of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai’s “Learning and Playing Week.” Moderated by media artist Yoichi Ochiai, the session brought together learning scientist and professor Noyuri Mima, AI researcher Tarin Clanuwat, HCI and human augmentation expert Jun Rekimoto, and ELSA Corp. co-founder & CEO Van Dinh Hong Vu. The discussion examined from multiple perspectives how rapidly evolving AI technologies are reshaping the ways humans learn and play, exploring the value and meaning of these activities in future society.
The participants shared the fundamental question: In an age where AI automates much of life, why do humans learn, and how do they play? Experts from various fields presented concrete examples and research results, engaging in a rich dialogue on the merging boundaries between learning and play.

【Speaker Summary: Yoichi Ochiai】
Ochiai opened by describing how the rapid evolution of AI technology is transforming civilization and human society, framing his remarks in both historical context and future projections. Tracing human history from the hunter-gatherer era through agriculture, the Industrial Revolution, and into the information age, he emphasized that the cycles of major invention and technological innovation have dramatically shortened. Since the invention of computers, the pace has accelerated exponentially, with changes that once took centuries now occurring over decades, years, or potentially even days.
He noted that around 2020, the total mass of human-made objects exceeded that of all biomass on Earth, making artificial objects and information networks a principal component of the planet’s environment — an era he calls “Digital Nature.” Using his design for the Expo 2025 signature pavilion “null²” as an example, he described a future where humans move beyond symbols and forms to build new relationships with digital technology. The pavilion’s mirrored and transformable architecture will host interactions with artificial life and digital humans, inviting visitors to imagine the possibilities of “life without symbols.”
Regarding learning motivation, Ochiai argued that in an age where one need not learn “in order to survive,” learning should aim toward creating cultural value, achieving self-realization, and building empathy with others. As AI makes knowledge acquisition effortless, he urged participants to consider what humans should choose to learn and how to integrate learning with play, envisioning a future where the two blend seamlessly. He closed by calling for diverse perspectives in exploring the meaning of human activity in new social contexts.

【Speaker Summary: Noyuri Mima】
Drawing on her expertise in learning science and 17 years of organizing citizen-participatory science festivals, Mima described initiatives where people of all ages and backgrounds — from children to adults, from lay participants to professionals — can engage with science in settings outside traditional classrooms and laboratories, such as farms, ships, or city streets. Her guiding principle is to integrate science into daily life as an accessible cultural practice, not something confined to “special places.”
Central to her approach is Humane Learning Design, which emphasizes questioning, dialogue, and playful engagement as the core of learning in the AI era. She shared examples such as workshops creating table lamps with flashlights useful in times of disaster, high school science research presentations, and dialogues with Antarctic expedition leaders, all fostering active participation, experimentation, and mutual learning.
Over time, participants who joined as children have returned as university students or working adults to help plan and run events — a sign that learning has become a cultural cycle embedded in the community. Mima also noted that in an environment where information is easily accessible, the value of unexpected encounters and real-world dialogue increases.
While AI delivers efficient answers, it often lacks serendipity and empathy. Thus, future learning design should intentionally incorporate unpredictability and chance, making space for genuine human connections. She concluded that play is not merely recreation but an essential driver of creativity and agency, and that connecting the experiences and emotions of play to learning is vital to advancing Humane Learning Design in the AI age.

【Speaker Summary: Tarin Clanuwat】
Clanuwat recounted her unusual journey from Japanese classical literature to AI research.Initially specializing in works such as The Tale of Genji, she confronted the fact that many　people abandoned reading classical materials due to barriers like cursive scripts and　archaic kana usage. This led her to harness AI to make classical literature more accessible,resulting in projects such as “miwo,” an AI-based cursive character recognition app with　over 200,000 downloads. Users can photograph historical texts, and the app instantly　converts them into modern Japanese.
She also developed ukiyo-e image generation models and automatic colorization tools for　black-and-white historical materials, in collaboration with Ritsumeikan University,Art Research Center, giving cultural artifacts a contemporary presentation. Another　innovation is “Karamaru,” an AI chatbot that responds in Edo-period classical Japanese,　trained on thousands of historical texts. This allows users to naturally absorb the rhythm　and vocabulary of classical Japanese through interactive dialogue.
Clanuwat emphasized that AI can be a “co-creator” — not just a tool for efficiency —transforming cultural assets into engaging, approachable experiences. Applied in education,tourism, and entertainment, such technologies can create new cultural experiences that　transcend the boundaries between learning and play.

【Speaker Summary: Jun Rekimoto】
With decades of experience in human-computer interaction and human augmentation research, Rekimoto reflected on innovations such as multi-touch technology, which he developed before the advent of smartphones. Inspired by the theremin, an electronic instrument that produces sound based on changes in electrical capacitance, Rekimoto adapted similar principles to create interfaces driven by human body movements.
He is also working on “silent speech” technology, enabling AI communication through mouth movements without sound, potentially allowing near-telepathic interaction in the future. Despite increasing automation, Rekimoto stressed that the value of human-performed actions remains — as seen in tea ceremony or music performance, where process and gesture hold meaning beyond outcomes. His lab combines large language models with gaze and motion data to support skill acquisition and cultural transmission, enhancing embodied learning experiences. He concluded that the future of learning and play lies in the fusion of human physicality with digital technology.

【Speaker Summary: Van Dinh Hong Vu】
Vu shared the story behind founding ELSA, an AI-powered English learning app. Raised in Vietnam, she studied English for over 20 years but still struggled with pronunciation and conversational skills while earning MBA and Education degrees at Stanford University. Determined to address this challenge globally, she launched ELSA, which uses proprietary speech recognition to instantly analyze pronunciation, pinpoint errors, and provide targeted feedback.
ELSA supports diverse accents and includes role-playing functions for real-life conversational practice. In nine years, over 55 million people worldwide have used it, with Japan as its largest market. Vu emphasized that AI can boost not only learning efficiency but also learners’ confidence and self-expression. She presented examples of organizational adoption in corporate training and school programs, noting that innovation in language education can enhance communication skills across society.

【Discussion Summary】
The discussion explored the meaning of learning and play in the AI era and how their boundaries are shifting. Mima highlighted the role of serendipity in enriching learning, advocating for its intentional design into education. Clanuwat demonstrated how AI-cultural heritage integration can lower barriers to participation and diversify learning communities. Rekimoto stressed the enduring value of embodied experience, framing AI as a complement to human skill and cultural practice. Vu illustrated how AI-assisted language learning can transform personal confidence, career paths, and lives.
The panel also raised concerns about protecting the creativity and emotional depth inherent in play while leveraging AI for learning efficiency, as well as the risk of cultural homogenization. They agreed on the need for learning and play designs that respect diverse values and cultural backgrounds. Ultimately, the group concluded that AI should serve not merely as a support tool but as a catalyst for new creative spaces and cultural exchange — a principle crucial for redefining human roles and values in future society.