Connectivity enabled by technologies such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Cloud Computing is rapidly transforming our interactions with the world and with each other. It reshapes social interactions, fostering collaboration, creativity, and unprecedented access to information and resources. However, this connected world and era demand innovative design approaches that harmonize technical functionality with human-centered values. We have run a series of workshops at different conferences, trying to engage the participants in discussions about the related challenges and opportunities, of digital art [1] and aesthetics [2] to AI-driven creativity [3] and their functional aspects in healthcare [1] and empowerment [2, 3]. We want to focus further on the intersection of these challenges where we see opportunities: leveraging aesthetics and connectivity as catalysts for empowerment.