Queued up this week: Geopolitics, science, and social outcomes.
S1E2 | Highlights and impact of this week's tech events — all in under 5 minutes.
Hi, Friends —
Welcome to [our digital disco]! I’m excited to have you here. Keep scrolling for key themes in tech news this week, as well as misc. outputs from my brain (Snack Time). You can also check out last week’s newsletter here.
Notable Themes
☞ Geopolitics & Privacy.
Canada and the US have banned TikTok from use on government-issued mobile devices — joining the EU, India, and other countries. Critics of the Chinese-owned app express concerns about data security, privacy, and the deliberate manipulation of user feeds. While TikTok claims to protect users data, Chinese law requires its companies to share information with the government.
Why does it matter? This trend shows an increasing concern about foreign interference and security, particularly directed at China. Many US officials seek even tighter regulation, such as a nationwide ban of the Chinese-owned app. Other Chinese apps (such as Temu, CapCut, and Shein) could receive the same treatment in the future.
Pros: A significant national security concern, foreign interference can manipulate public opinion and behavior — such as leveraging social media to spread disinformation and create conflict among citizens. Experts cite that Chinese influence efforts are also augmenting worldwide, with cases seen in Australia, Taiwan, and most recently, Canada. Regulating apps such as TikTok could hinder foreign governments’ ability to extract data and manipulate citizens’ information.
Cons: The irony? US tech companies also collect citizens’ data and share or sell it to third parties — which could very well include China’s government. A ban of TikTok doesn’t inherently solve the ethical qualms of Big Tech extracting and manipulating user data. (In the coming weeks I’ll publish a separate post on this topic.) The national bans could also be heavily politicized in an effort to fuel anti-China, pro-Western rhetoric.
☞ AI & Scientific Research.
Artificial intelligence is transforming research methodologies and aims. Eerily suggestive of mind reading, researchers applied generative AI to brain activity (fMRI) in the visual cortex, reconstructing the images imagined by individuals. Moreover, biocomputers — brain cells trained to compute using AI/ML methods — could eventually surpass electronic computers and demonstrate performance superior to the human brain in certain tasks.
Why does it matter? While decades might pass before these technologies become commercially available, they speak to the power of artificial intelligence in transforming our approach to science and computation. Another recent example: the xenobot. Researchers are investigating this simple, "programmable" organism of stem cells as a tool to perform functions to improve health (e.g., identify cancer cells or perform repairs).
Pros: Biocomputing may surpass traditional electronic computing in many applications, and with much less energy. Combining AI with human biology might expedite research and testing, leading to progressive advancements in fields such as medicine, neuroscience, and robotics (recall how AI helped companies develop COVID-19 vaccines with record-breaking speed).
Cons: Biocomputing technology is still in its early stages and faces significant technical challenges before it can become practical and scalable. That US regulators rejected Elon Musk’s bid to test brain chips in humans speaks to the safety and ethical concerns of AI-powered humans. The possibility of a computer attaining consciousness also raises ethical concerns.
☞ Algorithms & Social Outcomes.
A group of journalists uncovered the key risk classes of the city of Rotterdam’s social welfare algorithm, which closed in 2021 due to concerns about biased outputs. Characteristics including being young, a parent, female, not fluent in Dutch, or struggling to find work, increased an individual's risk score for welfare fraud and the likelihood of losing this social security. Single mothers were classed as especially high risk. The results of this investigation raise serious concerns that the system may have engendered baseless, discriminatory outcomes — and exhibit the growing awareness of the potential for AI systems to reinforce biases and erode civil liberties.
Why does it matter? Algorithms like Rotterdam’s are increasingly used to make decisions in public and private sectors. Outcomes ranging from housing loan approvals to hiring outcomes have profound profound implications on citizens’ daily lives. Risk-scoring models are often presented as progress, promising mathematical objectivity and fairness. Yet many citizens have no real way to understand how these decisions are made, never mind question the outcomes.
Pros: The heat placed on ethical AI and risk-based decisions has spurred a movement of research, civic action, and in some cases, policy change. The EU, for example, passed major legislation last year to address digital safety and transparency (see here on how it will likely impact our safety on sites such as Youtube and Instagram) and is finalizing its AI Act to standardize algorithmic use, transparency, and auditing. Others are also making headway, such as Singapore and the Caribbean.
Cons: Many critics believe heavy regulation will squash innovation and economic growth, particularly for smaller companies with few resources. The explosion of generative and productivity AI tools has further substantiated commitment to developing and leveraging this technology. Given eight in 10 firms plan to invest in some form of ML in 2023, a significant number of tech industry leaders view AI technology as key to future success. (I’ll discuss lobbying efforts in a future release.)
Snacktime
📓 Reading: A deeper dive into the illustrious ChatGPT. Check out The inside story of how ChatGPT was built from the people who made it.
♬ Listening to: Opia’s Falling. I prefer the Whethan Redo, but the original’s great, too.
✰ Thinking about: Self-reflection. It’s frustrating that personal growth isn’t as quantifiable as the growth of a houseplant (or even a business). How can we best self-reflect without judgement? What are ways to gain a bird’s-eye view of ourselves in the face of negativity bias and other emotional heuristics?
Next up
✎ Computing resources: the connection between environment and AI. And whatever is happening in the news. And whatever rant I go on over the next six days.
✿ As always — any and all feedback is welcome! In the meantime: give someone a hug and say an ‘I love you’ this week. Make the world a little happier.