TECH PROGRESSION: BENEFICIAL OR DESTRUCTIVE?

What was once reserved for businesses and the ‘tech savvy’ has now become commonplace with the swift advancement of technological devices from ‘wearables’ to the ubiquitousness of the mobile phone. There are many benefits to technological advancement including efficiency with regard to our working lives, communication, advanced medical equipment and pharmaceutical progress.

However, as with all societal shifts and change, technology inevitably has its drawbacks. There is an increase in responsibility for these technological devices, particularly in the case of self-driving cars, which in turn may lead to potential problems. Additionally, despite being useful, an overuse of technology may lead to health issues, social isolation and communication breakdown. Has technology actually solved our problems?

Our technology infused lives allow us to complete tasks quickly and work from anywhere in the world. Has it made our lives genuinely easier though? This is a question which we all must have pondered at some point – when we realise that we haven’t actually acquired this ‘extra time’. What we seem to be doing is generating more work for ourselves. With the rise of AI chatbots usurping the jobs of many, businesses are quickly realising that this use of AI also needs to be monitored.

Ultimately, there needs to be a human agent behind the technology, otherwise it would seem rather ‘mechanical’ – a machine lacks empathy, and therefore, cannot make fully human-like decisions. We’ve all experienced the cold, inhuman responses when we try to engage in a discussion with an AI robot, even though some may be rather convincing. That is, until we reach the stage of ‘conscious AI’, harking back to Alex Garland’s 2014 debut science fiction thriller Ex Machina.

Technology nonetheless does make communication easier, especially when conversing with others across the world. However, as with all seemingly good things, there are obvious setbacks and problems. Too much social media may lead to isolation; why go out when your social world is in your bedroom? Teenagers especially may suffer from anxiety, body image dysmorphia and depression due to the influence of social media channels, advertising and ‘memes’ dictating a life one ought to be living.

Truth becomes obscured when algorithmic filters deliver us with only that which aligns with our interests. Our worlds become smaller and more rigid; we may lose sight of alternative perspectives and ultimately, we miss out on a balanced worldview. The question is: who is in control of tech; us or it? From cyber-crime to identity theft, the internet is congested with potential for destruction and negativity. However, we are not completely at its mercy – we can choose to close our laptop lid, turn off our phone and go outside into nature. We do not have to be led into oblivion by its dictatorial potential; we can turn the tables and use it for what we need it for.

There have been countless beneficial innovations resulting from technological advancement, from more precise and targeted medical equipment for use in surgery to safer forms of locomotion. Self-driving cars are currently being tested, due to be allowed on U.K. roads in 2026. This could revolutionise transportation – however, they also have the potential to cause complications, particularly when we will see a mixture of human-driven and self-driven vehicles. As with all technological advancements, we will see shifts – there will be inevitable road-blocks along the way for us to navigate. Although without trying new technologies, we will not see progress.

As long as humans remain in the driver’s seat, we will remain in control – are we already giving too much of our power away to technology? With many jobs now advertised to ‘train AI’s’ to enable them to give more human-like responses, are we willingly handing over our humanity to a robot? Will the lines become more blurry between the human and the mechanical?

Stephen Hawking went so far as to say that: ‘The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race’. We do need to be careful and not give our entire humanness to technology. We can, however, stand up to its force and use it as a tool rather than be used by it.

With sound and carefully thought-out ethics and legislation in place, we can stay in control of technology and use it to benefit our lives and for humanity to progress.

Once we have created something which would surpass us in intelligence, we need to make sure that the AI is properly trained to have a moral conscience and to favour the betterment of the species and our global mission. We must not, however, lose sight of what it means to be human – to connect with others and nature, and find joy in simplicity.

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