Age Of AI: The New Normal

 

Photo: Becoming Human Artificial Intelligence Magazine

Living in a world where technology has been integrated into every single part of peoples daily lives has its ups and downs. 

However, as time has progressed and technology has grown the lines between the regular use of technology and expected privacy have become blurred. The Age Of AI Documentary gave viewers a first hand look at the many consequences of technology.

Two major concerns raised were the future of job security and the use of data by companies to better advertise their products. 

Job security is a real concern for middle class workers who have jobs that could be easily replaced by AI. Especially because in order to try and keep up with the advancement of technology it would cost people even more money, for a possibly low reward. 

For example with companies like Tesla that now have self driving technology that could be used instead of having to hire a tuck driver.

Photo:The Dallas  Morning News

 Now the people who would normally drive the truck have to find another job or get additional schooling to find another way to stay in their company. 

All of this takes additional time and money that most people don’t have.Now they have to school and on top of that have families they have to provide for, so that makes it nearly impossible.

In the documentary Harry Cripps who is the President of the local 668 sector of UAW which is the United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural implement Workers of America. 

Photo:Frontline On Twitter

 He said in the documentary “If we continue to go in an automated system, what are we gonna do? Now I’ve got a group of people at the top that are making all the money and no one in the middle that can support a family. Do we have to go to the point where we crash to come back and in this case the automations is already gonna be there so I don’t know how you come back.” 

This quote sheds light on the real concerns of workers and people who would be affected by these changes when AI is slowly introduced into the work force.

However something far more sensitive such as your own privacy has also been the topic of great discussion. 

With companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter all being an integral part of peoples social media use it is easy to see how they collect so much data on any given user. With every search, eye movement and click companies like there are tracking your use on the app. 

With this information they can tailor ads to you in order to make your experience as convenient as possible. Some people find this to be a great system, all they have to do is use an app they love and then suddenly every website they go on has suggestions and ads just for them.

Photo: Security Current

However, others find this to be a huge issue of privacy. Every single time you use a website or search something there is a log being kept on the kinds of things you like and don’t. However, companies can get away with this because they get every users permission.

Most people don’t read though the terms and conditions when they want to go to a website or creat an account on an app. But in those terms and conditions it is all laid out for the reader. 

This is how easy it can be for tech companies to get access to all the information they want on you. If this concerns you that’s fine but most companies won’t let you continue one the webpage until that little box is checked. 

Other that the privacy issues alone this also has a much darker consequences. For example, imagine the harm that can be caused if a person is only ever exposed to information that directly concerns them. Sure missing out on a couple ads for a product you have no use for is one thing. However, what about now missing out on news that concerns other countries or places that you might want to be informed about?

It could also lead to on overwhelming amount of confirmation bias which is when you only look at things that support your existing thoughts and never anything that challenges it. 

Photo:Sketchplanations

The question isn’t about how much information are they pushing at you it is instead about how much are they pushing away from you? It then becomes a conversation about censorship and how much you are willing to run that risk.

This isn’t to say that all technology is bad but it sure makes you reconsider blindly checking “I accept” next time you long on to a new website.

Personally, I found this documentary to be highly enlightening. Being a college student I am not yet fully immersed in the world where hearing  things like job security would immediately peak my interest. However, it makes me wonder what life will look like in a few years as technology progresses. 

How much will privacy be an issue anymore, will people be outraged by it or will it be the next step in this new age of convenience? 

Photo:TechCrunch

Questions like these help people take a step back at times and evaluate their boundaries and the things that they find important in life. Before this I might not have thought about the major consequences of replacing workers with AI. 

However now I see that it would speak to a much larger issue than just replacing a few jobs with machines that could do it faster and cheaper the humans.