WHEN MACHINES STOPPED THE APPLAUSE

At a time when speed and data seduce even the wise, one voice dared to ask: what gets lost when we stop thinking for ourselves? On a humid morning in Manila’s premier lecture theatre, Joseph Plazo took the stage not as an evangelist of machines, but as their translator.---### His First Sentence Wasn’t Loud, But It Shook the WallsNo slides.

At a time when speed and data seduce even the wise, Joseph Plazo offered something rare: pause. Before rows of scholars flown in from across Asia—NUS, Kyoto, HKUST, AIM— Joseph Plazo spoke not to impress, but to interrupt.---### The Opening Line That Changed the Atmosphere He didn’t offer promises. He offered paradox.“AI can beat the m