Our fictionalised fears that AI is going to take over the world and replace humans, has driven much of the discussion around AI ethics. There is much talk of the need to put “the human” and “human values” at the centre when developing AI technology. But “the human” is a concept with a dark history, used to impose the values of some as “universal”, while excluding all others. At the same time, “the human” does not exist separately from technology, it is shaped by it. A richer and more inclusive understanding of “the human”, as well as an acknowledgement of our interdependence with the technology we develop, are necessary steps to developing AI that serves us all, writes Eleanor Drage.