What Others are Saying about Autonomous Technology
Here are three recent articles that relate to some recent conversation in class ... can you read them critically and see the underlying views that are expressed? You might even want to leave a comment or contact the author to "shout back".
On the question of autonomous technology and artificial intelligence ...
Will Letting AI Make Our Decisions Be the Best Decision We Make?
And about autonomous vehicles in particular ...
Uber aims to build Pittsburgh workforce to test driverless technology (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article)
Uber rolls out self-driving vehicles to public (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article and video)
No Driver? Bring It On. How Pittsburgh Became Uber's Testing Ground (New York Times article)
What It Feels Like to Ride in a Self-Driving Uber (New York Times article and video)
Driving into the Future (BBC World Service, Radio Programme)
For your thought ...
- Will the promises of these technologies be realized?
- Even if these promises are realized, will that on the whole improve quality of life - for whom?
- Is the question of technology replacing human workers (in this case, drivers) cut-and-dry?
- What is going on in this kind of technological development - is there a basic societal demand for autonomous technology (vehicles), or do certain entities (engineers, companies, government officials, or others) create/sponsor the technology, and then solicit/promote their adoption and acceptance? What are the various reasons or interests involved?
- Did any of the commentators in the above articles give answers to these questions?
- How did you react to these articles? Did you change your mind or did you reinforce your prior positions?