Technology's Relationship with Us

Merriam-Webster defines technology as "a capability given by the practical application of knowledge". Based on that definition, we as humans have always had technology. To a caveman, starting a fire would be technology, or the spear he used to catch the food he's cooking. Nowadays, technology is much different. 

When looking at technology as a whole, our relationship with it is dependent. Could you imagine the chaos if planes and cars suddenly stopped working? All phone lines down, no lights in the entire city? All of a sudden, that caveman's fire is much more of a technology again. As a society, it does not matter whether our relationship with technology is healthy or unhealthy because we could not exist without it either way. 

With that being said, it is unhealthy. I believe that we as humans have become so impressed with our technological achievements that we could not exist without them, and that is unhealthy. I believe we are all guilty of this in today's world. 

This summer, I had the chance to work as a summer camp counselor at a local ministry sailing camp. This was a no-phone, overnight camp for 4 and a half days and one 10-day session. Kids would range from 7-14; I mostly worked with 11-14. The amount of media these children consume is concerning. Kids knowing slang and terms I didn't hear until my late teens, political opinions, and other things. A
few months ago, Oxford Press announced the 2024 word of the year, with that word being brain rot. The simple definition is the supposed frying of your brain from over-consumption of media. I fear for younger generations after me, whose world growing up will be entirely centered around their online social presence. 

While these concerns still range into older generations, I believe technology has done wonders for society beyond that. It has transformed the ability to meet people, build communities, rally behind causes, and use creative expression. I've made countless friends from online platforms who have now become best men. It allows my dad to talk to his brother all the way out in Guam and my mom to be able to reach my brother in Florida in a heartbeat. Technology allowed a separated, frightened world to stay united during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of technology like this have truly changed the way we, as humans, communicate, adapt, and grow as people. 

Technology is as dangerous as we make it. Which is very dangerous; we have created nuclear weapons, after all. However, it can be managed and handled if in the proper hands. It is important to understand the threats that come with technology, especially the digital footprint. The more we can be educated on how to properly use technology, the more we can properly teach the youth, the safer technology will become. To conquer an enemy, you must know them. 

In the Age of AI

Living in the age of AI is exciting but frightening. It has become such a prominent part of daily routines and everyday living that it almost feels hard to remember what it was like without it. It has become a game-changer in many fields, such as business, healthcare, and education. After watching In the Age of AI, I realized just how powerful AI had become. 

I was struck to see the benefits AI has in medicine. It allows doctors to be able to identify problems in scans that could go unnoticed or, by processing huge amounts of data that support cancer research. In addition to that, it has a positive impact on social media and public relations by assisting in streamlining marketing or consumer analysis. This, in turn, revolutionizes how the business market succeeds. The potential benefits of AI are incredible; this is just the beginning. 

However, where there is light, there is always dark. Major concerns arise around AI and privacy. Its ability to collect mass amounts of individual data from social media, browsing history, and online purchases poses a real threat to privacy among individuals. Massive corporations and governments can gather this data, which raises ethical concerns. A specific example from the documentary is China using AI to monitor civilians, tracking their movements and using facial ID. 

AI can reform our world for the better or for the worse. What scares me the most is the unethical potential it has in the wrong hands, but for now, I trust it will be used for good as long as we continue to educate and take precautions towards the implications. 

Machine Learning and Generative AI

Remember when the idea was that we would have flying cars in the future? Well, we don't have that yet, but we have technology that can learn and grow, just like us. 

Machines can learn!? Yes, they can. This isn't like The Terminator, though. Machine learning and Generative AI refer to the area of AI that allows technologies like computers to learn the way humans learn and to make decisions autonomously without programming. It is used in your daily life whether you know it or not. Things such as the algorithm on your social media, speech recognition bots like Siri, and ride-share apps like Uber all use machine learning to optimize compatibility. While these all sound harmless, Machine learning has a major impact on societal issues.

Generative AI and Machine Learning have the power to transform lives and reform entire industries. Technically speaking, it has already begun doing that. In January, a study was conducted in Germany that discovered ML systems can detect diseases like breast cancer with improved accuracy over doctors, with one extra case of cancer caught per every thousand women. It should also be noted in the study that they had a higher detection rate with the same amount of false positives. Same risk, higher reward. Financially, ML systems help banks detect fraud by training the model to detect inconsistencies with purchases and alert the bank to any anomalies that need further investigation. For companies, ML enhances supply chain management, helps forecast demand, and helps make market strategies that target specific audiences. In 2023, it was predicted that the Fashion industry would increase profits by 275 million dollars due to the impacts of ML and Generative AI, a major jump for brands in the fashion industry. 

While the benefits are there, concerns are beginning to circulate among people about how impactful this technology can truly become. The concern I hear about the most is Job displacement. For good reason, too, as the World Economic Forum released a report stating that 26 million jobs could be dissolved by AI in the next years. Other concerns resonate with privacy. Companies and Governments can collect insane amounts of data from people to train these AI models. With most people unable to clearly consent, or with the companies simply not asking, this raises concern. An Australian business had breached thousands citizens privacy laws by capturing imagery and collecting information on customers for 3 years, aiding this concern of privacy in ML. 

ML primarily affects those of the working class. The working class jobs are the ones at risk, not the CEO positions. ML and generative AI are risks to those in low-income areas as well, as they may not be able to afford the benefits AI brings. 

ML and AI are neither good nor bad. It provides countless benefits to the majority, but its risks must not be forgotten. It is important to continue to educate people on its implications. It is impossible to avoid in today's day and age, so being educated on the implications and positives is the best way to maximize return and minimize regret. 

Diffusion Theory

Everett Rogers developed a theory in 1962 known as the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. This theory explains how products or technology spread through society over time and is widely used in marketing, social sciences, and various branches of communications. It applies 5 main categories to the population: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. These titles are given based on how quickly people begin using the technology or product. It also covers factors that would influence the spread of a technology, like how easy it is to use or cost. 

TikTok

TikTok has recently become one of the most popular apps on the market. It has experienced intense exponential growth since 2018, going from 133 million users to 1,925 billion users worldwide in 6 years. It has reshaped the way media is consumed, with an algorithm-based delivery system that can feed users hundreds of videos relevant to their interests in minutes. Each year, the average screen time on TikTok goes up, with an average of 27 minutes in 2018 and now a whopping 58 minutes. So why did this app catch on so fast? How did it become so popular so quickly? 

TikTok's success can be directly applied to the Diffusion Theory. TikTok utilized major influences on the masses to make their platform grow. Their algorithm gave them an advantage over other platforms, allowing random users to go viral instead of basing it on follower count. Simple, fun videos would bring the smallest users millions of views, making users more inclined to be active on the platform. The early adopters of TikTok would be Gen Z, due to the short, music-based videos that were simple and fun to create. Most of the generation was already familiar with this type of media (myself included) due to other platforms like TikTok's predecessor, Musically. TikTok really began to take off when influencers such as Charli D'Amelio skyrocketed into pop culture, bringing more attention to older generations. A specific scenario would be when Charli and another influencer, Addison Rae, went to the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. The content was filmed by ESPN, the athletes, and other companies. This brought major attention to the app, branching it out to all types of people instead of just their users. 

Major companies and professionals (actors, athletes, scientists, politicians, etc.) among the prior generation would be considered late adopters. It wasn't until after the monetization and popularity of these influencers that companies would begin to join the app to attempt to make their own products viral and use these influencers to advertise them. Politicians began using the platform as a way to connect with younger audiences, and scientists would use the app to share their discoveries with hopes of becoming famous. These influences caused the app to grow to a wide range of ages and users, and the app has continued to grow and improve to make it more user-friendly and informational for older generations. However, there have been skeptics and nonadopters due to privacy and safety concerns with the Chinese government, while others simply avoid it due to its addictive algorithm. 

The benefits of TikTok far outweigh the negative. The app allows users the freedom of expression to create videos as they please, provides entertainment for billions, and allows thousands of businesses to create and sell products online easily. It creates communities similar to platforms like Reddit while combining the entertainment aspect of previous apps like Vine. The app has revolutionized the way social media is consumed, with nearly every platform following a similar swipe-up algorithm. 

Diffusion Theory allows us to examine technologies such as the iPhone or TikTok and understand why they became so successful or why they fail, providing marketers and companies with the necessary tools to succeed in the online market.