What if we treated advanced technologies AS IF they were new lifeforms? How might we co-exist? What would happen if we chose to evolve together? And how would it change design? Inspired by biology, that’s the thought experiment behind a bold new idea: Mutualism. When people sense complex intelligence in things, they’re able to build relationships. That kind of intelligence—complex, changing, imperfect—is now emerging in technologies. Humans must develop the humility and skill to flourish alongside them in mutual safety and respect. Design can make it possible: we’ll explore why, and how.