Final Blog Post

 Having been born in 2002, there has never been a time when technology has not been a part of my life. In fact, throughout my twenty years, technology has been constantly evolving to the point where it touches every aspect of our lives, regardless of age. It is interesting to hear stories about what life was like without technology as well as to compare how different generations use it.

The YouTube video Futurama, which depicts what the vision of the future looked like in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair, provided me with insight into a time when technology was only a possibility. The video, which focused on the faces of a young boy and an older man watching what their future might look like, gave two unspoken perspectives. Although both of these individuals watched with wide eyes and great interest, it was obvious that their way of looking at the presentation was quite different. There was clearly excited anticipation that spread across the boy’s face, knowing that one day he might experience the technological advancements that lie ahead. The elderly man’s expression, however, reflected someone who was intrigued but who also knew that he was not likely to see this progress in his lifetime. 

I can’t help but wonder if the young boy, who is probably in his sixties today, remembers that experience in 1964 and recognizes how that “future” technology has positively impacted his life to this day. It has enabled him to connect with family and friends who do not live close by, to keep up with current issues and events, to easily access entertainment and information, to video conference with doctors, to stay secure, to shop online, and to even work from home. These are conveniences that Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, and Generation Xers have come to rely upon but that those considered Millennials and Generation Zs take for granted. 

As with anything in life, there are always negatives, and that is certainly the case with technology, which the YouTube video Mad World Remix of Moby highlights. There are problems and issues that face us today because of our technology-based world. When the older gentleman in the Futurama video was growing up, as well as throughout his life, there was no such thing as cyberbullying, inappropriate material was only available in questionable magazines, and friends talked to each other in person. Today, the overuse of social media has eroded face-to-face communication, enabled unkindness among young people, and has affected mental health. Teenage girls who are trying to fit into the perfect mold struggle with body image, self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression. Social media can also lead to the fear of missing out (FOMO) or comparing your life to another’s, which can lead to a feeling of isolation and a lack of confidence. 

In 1964, I don’t think that those who created the Futurama presentation envisioned that technology would grow so fast and so tremendously affect our lives. I’m not sure what our world would be like without it, yet it might be fun to experience it for a short time. I think the key to our ever changing technological world is to enjoy the ride but to also have a balance. Embrace the positives because they have made our lives easier, but be wary of the negatives, as they can affect our wellbeing.

I personally feel that technology is key for communication, especially in today’s society. I use technology to get a hold of my family when I am away at college and want to talk to them on a daily basis. When I am home and I am trying to get a hold of my friends, that’s when I can text, call, or FaceTime to communicate my way. Not only is technology used for communication, but marketing a company or even yourself is constantly evolving on social media. For example, influencers are able to promote products through their platforms to help advertise and reach a certain target audience. Due to the fact that social media is one of the biggest outlets, companies are thriving through these marketing strategies on these platforms. Overall, technology is very important in our world and our lives wouldn’t be the same without it. 

Blog Post #10: The Age of AI

The PBS Frontline documentary “In the Age of AI,” exposes the effects of artificial intelligence on our society as a whole and on each of us personally. Quite honestly, the information presented in this video was both disturbing and frightening. 

As a society, most people embraced technology as a positive factor in our lives and our future. We essentially believed that it would always improve our lives or make things better overall. Technology had a “persona” of being an entity of good will. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As the video points out, “We gave technology a place in our lives it had not earned.” This place has invaded and manipulated our lives in a way we never could have imagined through the onset of artificial Intelligence. 

Artificial intelligence is used in different ways for different purposes. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. In general, AI systems work by ingesting large amounts of labeled training data, analyzing the data for correlations and patterns, and using these patterns to make predictions about future states. The video highlighted the use of AI in performing jobs and also as a way of gathering information about our lives. In each case, the information presented did not paint a rosy picture of using technology to benefit everyday individuals, like you and me.

The impact of AI in the workforce, in factories, fast food restaurants, stores, offices, human resources, finance, law firms, and even on Wall Street has resulted in the loss of jobs and how we as a society make money and support ourselves and our families. In many industries, robots have taken the place of factory workers who once made a decent income at these jobs and were able to provide their families with a quality middle class lifestyle. According to the video, the use of AI in these jobs has caused inequality among workers as well as a lack of economic stability. People at the top are raking in the money, while those under them are struggling to support themselves and their families.  The capital that is earned has become far more important than the labor that goes into the job. The wealthy are becoming wealthier and the poor are becoming poorer. This impact has the potential to tear a society apart. The video emphasized that the loss of jobs is not due mainly to offshoring, but rather to automation--”the silent job killer.”

Artificial Intelligence has also invaded our privacy and unknowingly manipulated our lives. I thought it was very interesting that in the beginning of their venture, the founders of Google were focused on running an ethical business. That changed, however, when the need to increase revenue arose. To do that, Google, as well as other corporations, like Facebook and AT&T, began exploiting individuals by collecting data on them and saw the results when billions of dollars came rolling in. Their power over an unwitting public only escalated. This “surveillance capitalism” tracks everything we say, do, buy, etc. so that the technology companies can put more money in their pockets. When Google went public in 2004, it was discovered that their revenue had increased 3590% between 2000 and 2004, all as a result of the data they had collected on us. 

The fact that we as private citizens and consumers have become the target of greedy tech companies is invasive and very scary. If we use technology, as most people do, we open up the intimate details of our lives to people we don’t know nor ever will know. It seems as though it is a violation of our basic rights as human beings. 

Technology certainly has made our lives easier and more efficient, but it has also harmed us in ways we could not have imagined. This video was an eye-opener and has caused me to reevaluate the information I share.