B1 - Group A, Ritvalsky

Dr. Mitchell has tasked my group with reading articles with the following tags: "AI, computer, software and future". My search began the with AI; the first article that really caught my attention was entitled, "I Rode 500 Miles in a Self-Driving Car and Saw the Future. It’s Delightfully Dull". Recently, there's been so much talk about self-driving cars and when the buzzwords technology and artificial intelligence come up, it's a concept that quickly comes to mind. This article taught me a lot about the future of technology. I initially found the idea of self-driving cars to be somewhat scary, considering that it points to an era where machines do all of the work, while humans take a passive, backseat role. After reading piece, I don't find the idea so "scary". According to the author, the technology isn't really about replacing humans; it's more about making life safer and more comfortable for us. At least, that's the way Audi has chosen to market their auto-piloted vehicle. It's also nice to know that while it may seem that the computer has complete control in a self-driving car, the human driver is really in control. Making the switch between the two modes of operation are actually quite simple. This technology has the potential for use in much broader applications; my mind is drawn to the video we watched in class, of machines constructing a miniature building. It appears as if semi-self-controlled technology is the "way of the future".

My search for news regarding "computers" led me to an article regarding a new application for contact lenses. According to source, Google X lab is in the process of developing a contact lens with bio-metric benefits. The lens is targeted towards diabetics and is designed to measure glucose levels by sampling the patient's tears. It is meant to be an alternative for the unpleasant practice of drawing blood regularly to test the body's levels. Supposedly, several trials are being conducted. The technology sounds promising and like the article discussed above, demonstrates how "machines" can be used to better our lives. They really can improve our comfort levels and make every day tasks easier.  (No source listed for "Sensors and computer in a contact lens...")

For the "software" tag, I decided to read "In 10 Years, We Won’t Use Personal Technology". The article begins by describing a prediction made years ago by Clifford Stoll, who clearly underestimated the power of the internet. Now that almost two decades have passed, we can see just how wrong Stoll was. The author then poses an idea of his own - the concept of shared technology. Initially, at hearing the term "sharing", my mind was immediately drawn to the technology employed by Samsung, where two phones can be "bumped together" and files or other information can be shared almost instantaneously. However, Wilson is referring to something so much greater and so much different than what currently exists in our society. With the emergence of so much personal technology, we've become glued to our own individual tablets, cell phones, etc. "For  years we’ve been trying to cram our world into our gadgets. We’ve been trying to represent our world — in all its vivacity, complexity, and detail — on four inch screens...And so we end up with an ecosystem where our gadgets and apps work increasingly well together, but often fail to acknowledge the very real world around them." Wilson proposes a world where instead of using personal devices, we utilize universal devices - portals to a "cloud" where everyone's data is stored and the only thing required for entrance into your personal portion of the cloud is biometric authentication. According to his prediction, we'll eventually move on to using interfaces in public spaces that will allow an individual to access all of their personal computer data from any location in the world - the coffee shop, subway, work, you name it. Again, we see an application of software that promises to make our lives easier, more comfortable and more convenient.

The last article, tagged "future" is a perfect one to end with - "Study to Examine Effects of Artificial Intelligence". The goal of the study is to document the effects of AI in real time and expected to last for several years. After reading posts from my classmates, it's clear to see we have mixed feelings in regards to all of the technology that's emerging. Some, like Catherine Stephens and Rikki Moore feel that AI is a great thing, "if balanced with human touch" and integrated with the proper technology. On the other hand, some, like Jonathan Plotkin are skeptic and concerned "about potential privacy issues and invasive advertisements". Like Dr. Horvitz said in the article, "these technologies will have positive and negative effects on society". I totally agree and have mixed feelings as well. On one hand, I'm excited to hear all that can be done but on the other hand, it does scare me a bit. In order to quell my fear and for technology to be optimized, we must see the manifestation where man and machine coexist peacefully without one making the other completely obsolete.

Resources:

Davis, Alex. "I Rode 500 Miles in a Self-Driving Car and Saw the Future. It’s Delightfully Dull" 07 January 2015. http://www.wired.com/2015/01/rode-500-miles-self-driving-car-saw-future-boring/

Markoff, John. "Study to Examine Effects of Artificial Intelligence". 15 December, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/science/century-long-study-will-examine-effects-of-artificial-intelligence.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Wilson, Aaron. "In 10 Years We Won't Use Personal Technology". http://www.nirandfar.com/2013/10/in-10-years-we-wont-use-personal-technology.html