Exist but Non-Identifiable: Enhancing Future Accountability through Persona Design and AI-Driven Dialogues

Abstract This study addresses the critical challenge of representing non-existent and non-identifiable future generations by introducing an innovative transgenerational framework for fostering future accountability. Traditional intergenerational paradigms often fail to bridge the gap between current and future generations, limiting sustainable decision-making. Leveraging ChatGPT (version 4.0) as a proxy for future voices, university students (ages 19–29) participated in structured dialogues to draft declarations advocating for a sustainable global plastic agreement. Through persona development of future generations and collaborative interactions with both participants and AI, students tackled the complexities of representing future generations and fostered engagement across generational boundaries. Thematic analysis revealed four essential elements for cultivating future accountability: social empathy, coexistence, shared responsibility, and shared goals. This study highlights empathy-driven methodologies and capacity-building frameworks as effective tools for overcoming representational limitations, operationalizing sustainable accountability for future generations.