John Healy's Tech Blog

Category: Research

Looking at technology

  • The modern influencer dream – meritocracy’s ‘noble lie’ of mobility?

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    Billy, Sally, “What do you want to be when you get older?” We live in a hyper-connected world, a social media landscape of scaleable, accessible influence. Monetizing yourself – you are the product – is no longer just for traditional celebrities. As I’ve discussed elsewhere, a cardinal characteristic of the American psyche is a singular shared ideology (mythic common ground) that hard work (sweat equity)…

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  • Human welfare needs help – the AI welfare sideshow

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    Tools .. totems … T-factor (thalamocortical network) … consciousness in the circle of life, eh. [1] As mentioned elsewhere, remember that “there’s nobody home” when interacting with gen AI models and chatbots. Despite occasional chatbot psychosis where a user attributes some type of agency, perhaps even a consciousness, to a chatbot. Yet, expert commentary, as cited in this article (below), is unlikely to counter “conspiracies”…

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  • Shades of Victorian hubris – AI full speed ahead!

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    A better technology, a better humanity. A personal coach (and emotional pal) in everyone’s pocket. That’s the drift. Bet on it. Business is business, eh. If we don’t do it, then someone else will. If we can’t survive as a business, then no one will benefit. $$$ in play. Soft power. And so on, the pros & cons of free trade (whether it’s really free).…

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  • In AI chatbots we trust – too much

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    Does trust require truth? Facts? With explanations of the speaker’s reasoning & sources? Or just because “(A)I said it’s so” – authoritatively. So, what could go [1] … hardly anyone understands how their smartphone works … (as well as most electronics, eh). Nothing new there for technology … yet, nobody likes to be conned, fooled … but is resistance futile with AI? [2] I’m reminded of…

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  • Breaking bottom of career ladder – AI transformation

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    So, the CEO of Anthropic (“one of the world’s most powerful creators of artificial intelligence”) says we need to “get real” about entry-level white-collar jobs in the next few years. Pay attention! “Eyes open” to the coming job displacement. This Axios article (much in the news cycle this past week) heralds the challenge which AI poses to the workforce. The need to build awareness, generally…

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