Buddy's Blog

I had not been previously exposed to the idea of open government… I also had not realized that a simple web search of my legal name held lots of my information. I subsequently continued this fascination by searching up all of the credentials of some of my best friends. Same story. I find it intriguing that I, along with all of my other friends, have so many different accounts for so many different things. This wouldn’t be so striking if I had different login credentials for all of these services that I utilize; unfortunately, though, this is a lot to keep track of. As a result, many people use the same email, same password, and same security questions for all of their accounts. This fact, in today’s world, often makes for easy-pickings for those interested in identity theft: more often than not, if someone can hack your Facebook, they more than likely have the information needed to tamper with your bank account.

This leads into the idea of “unique” identification. As most people have probably seen, Apple has instituted TouchID in their devices. The technology reads your finger print, and grants you access if you are who you say you are. It’s funny because I began to see this technology about 5-6 years ago when my local 24 Hour Fitness started using this technology. When you approached the desk to sign in, you had to enter your PIN number and then scan your finger.

I am intrigued to learn more about facial recognition and even iris testing. I think this is the best way to eliminate identity theft and other horrors that are out there in today’s world. No one has figured out a way to get beyond these kinds of tests… yet.

The meeting this week really piqued my interest in 50N, but I was most surprised about the discussion regarding the potential of artificial intelligence. Yes, there are sectors in the world that soon could be run completely by this technology, but is this really going to be the case? Personally, I believe that the value of human contact in many sectors will outweigh the possible benefits presented by AI. People have done things a certain way for so long, and I cannot image that changing. Even though I am saying this, something must be given up to pave the way for innovation… only time will tell. Will AI’s influence in the “store” world make the overall shopping experience more efficient? Probably, but it will also take away from the human touch that can be seen in so many stores.

Another topic that was discussed this week was AI’s potential scope. How smart can it actually become? I personally hold the opinion that technology can only be as smart as its developers made it. I do not think that computers themselves will be able to make themselves more intelligent. So don’t worry, I do not believe that robots will be taking over the world anytime soon.

It was great to reconvene with the seminar this week; I enjoyed getting back into the swing of things with our readings, especially after a tough, monotonous period loaded with midterms. I am looking forward to our discussion about technology’s implications in the government sector. To be continued…

This week’s discussion really hit home with me, especially with regard to Alexa’s recording system, Apple’s location tracking system, and even a network driven salt dispenser. I did not know that Alexa had a system that kept a record of all inputs and responses. I found it funny to hear Sarah’s story about accessing the information inputted by her brother… I often have a similar problem with my family iCloud account. I will often get texts, while in class, from my father asking “Who is so and so, and why are they texting you during class?” “I don’t know, Dad!” If Alexa keeps a record of all correspondences, it definitely learns how to adapt to the user (start to answer questions or commands in a fairly consistent manner that the user is familiar with). I wonder, though, if Alexa keeps a record of ALL the things that were said in the vicinity of the device….. that would be creepy.

Every morning, as I got into my car to commute to school during my senior year, Apple would say to me “15 minutes to Davie.” I was always so intrigued by this, and I am glad that I now know how it works! I really am fascinated  by the fact that the technology recognizes when you enter your car, and tracks your common destinations on certain days and at certain times.

This week, we also came across a salt dispenser that responds to commands inputted from one’s mobile device. I really do not see the appeal of such a product,even despite all of its bells and whistles, since dispensing salt is not an onerous task. However, I am sure that there are some people out there that have this device implemented into their home.

It was another great week in 50N. I am looking forward to our next discussion!