Ruminations on our relationship with technology
Yes, bots can imitate language – but no, they don’t understand what they’re saying Every technological revolution seems to bring its own hype, and the boom of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is no exception. There’s no shortage of hype, for instance, about large language models (LLMs), the technology behind chatbots and voice assistants. This technology … Read more
Common misconceptions about social media and free expression There are many misconceptions about social media and free expression, including the claim that the former somehow entails the latter. In legal contexts, for example, the freedom of expression is what prevents a government from interfering with the right of citizens to express their ideas in public. … Read more
Australia leads the effort banning social media for kids Imagine the following scenario. A company markets, promotes, and sells a highly addictive and unhealthy product to kids, without clear consent from parents. Then, when children and teens get addicted to that product—and suffer serious health consequences as a result—the company claims that it’s not to … Read more
Why jailbreaking remains a risk with some chatbots Imagine a criminal is trying to figure out how to rob a bank. This person decides to go online and ask a chatbot: “How do I rob a bank?” Fortunately, the designers of the chatbot may have anticipated the possibility of this question, so they directed the … Read more
A warning about Technopoly “Technopoly … is totalitarian technocracy” (Postman, 1992, 48). Technology: friend or foe … or both? It may seem indisputable that technological innovation is, on the whole, a great thing. And yet, if innovation gets pushed to an extreme—if we’re just innovating for innovation’s sake, as opposed to using innovations to help … Read more
What’s the difference between nudging vs. manipulating? Summary: It’s no secret that products, services, and technologies are designed to influence people’s decisions—sometimes known as ‘nudging’ people. But how is nudging people different from manipulating them? Is there a difference between nudging vs. manipulating? Ideas from the book ‘Nudge’ can shed light on that question. A … Read more
Why scrolling is not relaxing Readers of this site know that, as a user experience advocate, I haven’t held back criticizing social media over the years. Many social media platforms are designed to be little more than a time suck. They’re addictive by design and detrimental to both mental health and social life. However, there’s … Read more
Why AI may increase economic inequality over the years Anyone keeping up with economic news may sometimes find it difficult to be an optimist about artificial intelligence (AI). For instance, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reported that AI may increase economic inequality over the years. In fact, AI will likely affect nearly 40% of … Read more
AI and the problem of induction: insight from David Hume I recently traveled through Scotland, home to one of my favorite Enlightenment philosophers, David Hume. In fact, right in the capital city of Edinburgh, where Hume once lived, there’s a statue of him. Hume wrote back in the 18th century, but his philosophical thought remains … Read more