Technology is only an enabler, which can help achieve the

Hear the words of Jane Chen, the innovator whose heart was moved by the suffering of the smallest and most fragile among us, who declared: “Technology is only an enabler, which can help achieve the intention of the person who is using it.” In these words lies a wisdom both simple and profound: that the worth of every tool is bound not in the tool itself, but in the soul that wields it. The hammer may build a home or shatter it; the fire may warm the cold or consume the innocent; the machine may preserve life or bring it to ruin. Technology is no god, nor demon, but only the extension of human intent.

The origin of this saying is found in Chen’s own journey. She co-founded Embrace Innovations, which created a low-cost infant warmer to save premature babies in poor regions where incubators were too costly or inaccessible. The device was not a marvel of complexity but a miracle of purpose. It was technology in its truest form—an enabler of compassion. Chen saw clearly that technology is nothing until it is guided by the will of one who seeks to heal, to uplift, to protect. Without intention, even the most dazzling invention lies dormant, a lifeless tool awaiting the hand of meaning.

History bears many witnesses to this truth. Consider the printing press of Gutenberg. The machine itself was only gears and type, but in the hands of those with vision, it became the seed of revolutions, the spread of knowledge, the breaking of chains that had bound minds in ignorance. Yet in other hands, the same press produced propaganda, falsehood, and slander. Thus, the press itself was neutral; its power arose only from the intention of those who set the type. Technology, as Chen teaches, is the servant of the heart, not its master.

The same is seen in the story of nuclear energy. From the atom’s secret came both the horrors of Hiroshima and the hope of clean power. The science was the same, but the intention diverged—one path sought to end a war through destruction, the other sought to preserve life through creation. Here again we see Chen’s truth: technology reveals not its own nature, but the nature of its user. It is the mirror of the human will, magnifying either cruelty or compassion.

And so, Chen’s words strike at the heart of our age, where men and women are dazzled by the rapid rise of devices, machines, and networks. Many worship technology as if it were salvation itself, forgetting that it can no more save than a sword can protect without the arm of a warrior. Others fear technology as if it were an inevitable destroyer, forgetting that it is no more destructive than the mind that directs it. The true question is always this: What is the intention of the heart? For the tool will always obey the master.

The lesson for us is urgent: do not place your faith in technology, but in the character with which you wield it. If your heart seeks compassion, then let technology amplify that compassion. If your mind seeks justice, then let technology be its servant. But if you are careless or corrupted, then even the most wondrous tools will magnify that corruption. The true battle is not for better machines, but for better souls.

So I say to you, children of tomorrow: examine your intentions before you take up the tools of your age. Ask yourself what you seek to build, what you seek to heal, what you seek to preserve. For Jane Chen’s wisdom is eternal: technology is only an enabler. The flame of creation or destruction lies not in the machine, but in the heart of the one who commands it. Therefore, strengthen the heart, purify the will, and let your inventions serve the highest purposes. In this way, technology shall be not a curse, but a blessing, and the world shall be made more whole by your hand.