How can we determine our technology future?

I’ve recently been on vacation with my family. The real benefit of the time out was, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear, the time itself. For me, it’s about time with the people who are most important to me, and time to reflect properly on things. This includes catching up on some reading and really thinking about the information I’m taking in, rather than the scrolling and speed-reading that characterizes so many of our busy daily lives. Beer also tends to feature, but I’m not going to say any more about that.

One of the books that caught my attention this time is “The Driver in the Driverless Car”, by Vivek Wadhwa with Alex Salkever. Professor Wadhwa is a technology entrepreneur and academic based in Silicon Valley, who researches advances like artificial intelligence, robotics and synthetic biology.

If autonomous vehicles aren’t really your thing, don’t worry: the book is actually about much more. Really, it is a reflection on our increasingly high-tech world, and an exploration of the consequences of the choices and actions we are taking now. 

I consider myself a real tech enthusiast, but it’s difficult to avoid the dark warnings that fill our search results and newsfeeds (like the assertion that it is already ruining our society, or the belief that, ultimately, it will leave we humans with no purpose to serve in the world). Argh!

But I’m also pretty pragmatic and I prefer to remember that these choices are within our control. It is entirely possible to put your smartphone or tablet away for a while as you enjoy dinner with your loved ones for example. I know this, because I share my life with three millennials (also known as my kids).

In fact, that’s why I enjoyed this book so much – because it raises some of the most pertinent issues that we face today, and addresses them in a measured way, unlike a lot of those feverish headlines. Let me share the key questions Professor Wadhwa thinks we should be asking to determine our future.

1.    Does the technology have the ability to benefit everyone equally?

This is often a difficult question to answer with an absolute “yes” – because all change affects people in different ways. And I write as someone who has seen the consequences when a favored item is taken off the canteen menu at work. This has played out throughout history; perhaps most notably during the Industrial Revolution, which brought about both a general rise in the standard of living, and the end of many traditional livelihoods.

Today’s examples are in areas like healthcare and clean energy, where the world is still split into the haves and have-nots. Amazingly, the economics of solar energy could enable towns and villages that are currently off the grid to have affordable access to light in just a few years – yet policy development doesn’t universally reflect this.

2.    Do the rewards outweigh the risks?

An example that the Professor gives here is the gene editing technique, CRISPR, which in theory could alter life itself by effectively editing out problem characteristics in the DNA of crops, livestock – and humans. And when you apply that thinking to things like chronic diseases, our biggest killers, it seems like a no-brainer. 

But what if the decision-making turned more problematic from an ethical perspective? What if the powers that be were to decide that Dutch business guys called Olaf are actually the source of our greatest issues? It’s a silly example – and yet, I think we can all imagine the potential consequences of differentiating between genetically “superior” and “inferior” features, or people.

3.    Does the technology create autonomy or independence?

Personally, I cannot wait for the day when I can leap into my car and set off on a journey – then spend it reading or watching a movie. The driverless cars of the book’s title look set to improve the quality of life for many people, by opening up travel options for those who were previously limited, say by age, or disability. The other major projected advantage, if we get the development right, is a sharp drop in the number of road traffic accidents. 94% of these are caused by human error today.

But what about people who really love their driving gloves? I’m joking a little, but it’s a serious question. It’s easy to see a future in which the most dangerous element of driving – the human one – is taken out of the equation, and our choice in the matter is removed.

The common theme in each scenario is that there are clear trade-offs to be made. The book is definitely worth a read if you want to think a bit more about the world that technology is creating – and if you’d like a taster, there’s a half-hour video where the Professor summarizes his thinking.

Like me, he remains optimistic overall and his plea is that we do things in a sensible way, to create what he calls a “Star Trek” future, instead of a Mad Max one. I know which side I’m in favour of. Beam me up, Scotty!

Photo credit: Michel Curi