SHUSHA, July 20 — Resistance to artificial intelligence and technological innovation is as misguided as the historical rejection of Copernicus or Giordano Bruno, said Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration.
Speaking at the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum, which this year focused on artificial intelligence, Hajiyev emphasized the need for open and forward-looking dialogue around AI.
“Today’s Shusha Media Forum is dedicated to artificial intelligence. Every year, we try to choose the most pressing and relevant themes. AI is now at the center of global debates—is it a threat or an opportunity? I am not here to call for resistance to technology,” he stated.
According to Hajiyev, opposition to innovation is comparable to the resistance faced by revolutionary thinkers of the past. “Rejecting technology today is like fighting the ideas of Giordano Bruno or Copernicus. Future generations will judge us for this resistance. To them, it will look like a futile battle against progress—like tilting at windmills,” he said.
At the same time, Hajiyev warned that future generations might also criticize today’s decision-makers for allowing the development of concepts that are hard to control and that generate uncertainty.
He acknowledged that artificial intelligence is already reshaping fundamental aspects of human life. “AI is undoubtedly transforming everything—including how we view religion and our broader worldviews,” he said.
“Truth itself has changed. It has become a rare and valuable asset—one that is now under threat,” Hajiyev concluded.
