NEXT19 | James Bridle | New Dark Age: Is Technology Making the World Harder to Understand?

Summary

The speaker, a technologist with a background in computer science, expresses concern over current technology trends, dubbing it a 'New Dark Age.' They discuss the metaphorical 'cloud,' emphasizing its physical reality and societal impact. Drawing parallels between technology and weather, the speaker touches on the historical connection between computation and weather prediction. They critique the opacity of modern tech, its role in climate change, and societal manipulation, citing examples like Amazon warehouses and YouTube's algorithm. The talk concludes with potential maneuvers for positive tech use, emphasizing the importance of understanding and ethical technology design.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The term 'cloud' is a metaphor for vast data centers that power our digital interactions, yet its invisibility and mystery are part of its essence.
• 💡 The historical connection between weather prediction and the development of early computers like ENIAC highlights the intertwined destinies of computation and our understanding of natural systems.
• 📈 Moore's Law, which predicts the doubling of processing power every two years, has influenced our expectations of technological progress, yet it also masks the environmental and computational challenges we face.
• 🔍 The increasing opacity of technology, from algorithmic biases to the hidden labor behind apps, is leading to a lack of public understanding and control, fostering confusion and societal issues.
• 🌡️ Climate change is making weather patterns less predictable, challenging our reliance on historical data for future predictions and underscoring the limitations of technology in addressing global issues.
• 🛍️ The convenience of modern technologies often obscures the human labor and environmental costs, as seen in 'dark kitchens' and Amazon's warehouse practices.
• 🤖 Automation bias, where we overly trust technology, can lead to dangerous outcomes, as shown in studies where even trained professionals follow flawed automated advice.
• 🌍 The Internet and associated technologies are significant, often overlooked, contributors to climate change, challenging the sustainability of our digital practices.
• 🔒 The design of technology into society is leading to surveillance and control, as exemplified by Amazon's warehouse systems and the potential for social media to manipulate behavior.
• 🛑 The talk concludes with a call to action to rethink technology not for solutions per se, but for maneuvers that can redirect its impact towards more ethical, understandable, and democratic uses.

Q & A

What is the title of the talk and what does it signify?

The title of the talk is 'New Dark Age,' which signifies the speaker's deep concern about the trends in technology and their impact on society, despite coming from a background that loves technology.

What is the significance of the term 'cloud' in the context of the talk?

In the talk, the term 'cloud' is used to describe the misconception of it being a magical, mysterious place where data is stored and processed. It is emphasized that the cloud is actually physical infrastructure owned by companies and has real-world impacts.

How is the history of weather prediction related to the development of computation?

The history of weather prediction is intrinsically linked to computation as it was one of the first applications that required massive data processing. Lewis Fry Richardson's work in the 1920s laid the foundation for using mathematics and data to predict the weather, which later required computational power that led to the development of early computers like the ENIAC.

What is Moore's Law and how does it relate to the talk?

Moore's Law is the observation that processing power doubles approximately every two years. The talk discusses how this law has influenced our expectations of technological progress and the belief in the potential of computers to solve any problem, but also points out its limitations and the issues arising from an overreliance on computational power.

What is 'Eroom's Law' and how does it contrast with Moore's Law?

Eroom's Law is a term coined to describe the opposite trend of Moore's Law, suggesting that the increase in computational power has not led to a proportional increase in drug discovery. It highlights the failure of sheer computational power to solve complex problems like drug discovery.

How does the speaker connect technology to climate change?

The speaker connects technology to climate change by pointing out that the electricity required for data processing and AI is a significant driver of climate change, and that technology, including the internet, contributes to environmental issues.

What is 'clear air turbulence' and how is it related to climate change?

Clear air turbulence is a type of atmospheric disturbance that is unpredictable and is becoming more prevalent due to climate change. It is mentioned in the talk to illustrate how our ability to predict weather patterns is being compromised by the changing climate.

What is 'automation bias' and how does it relate to technology?

Automation bias is a psychological phenomenon where people tend to overly trust automated systems, even when they provide incorrect information. The talk discusses how this bias can lead to dangerous outcomes, as people are becoming overly reliant on technology and losing their ability to think critically.

What is the 'Keeling curve' and what does it illustrate?

The Keeling curve is a graph that shows the exponential growth of CO2 in the atmosphere, measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. It illustrates the increasing levels of CO2, surpassing 400 parts per million, which is a critical marker for climate change discussions.

How does the speaker discuss the impact of technology on labor and society?

The speaker discusses the impact of technology on labor and society by giving examples such as Amazon warehouses, where workers are monitored and directed by algorithms, leading to de-skilling and a lack of autonomy. This, along with other examples like dark kitchens and Pokemon Go, shows how technology is used to hide labor and manipulate consumers.

What are the 'three small maneuvers' the speaker suggests as a way to counter the negative impacts of technology?

The 'three small maneuvers' suggested by the speaker include using technology to produce different outcomes, repurposing technology for beneficial purposes, and insisting on transparency and understanding in technology design to ensure it serves democratic and ethical values.