Curiosity Calling

“As humans teach ever more capable machines to use language, the once-obvious line between them will blur.” — The Economist

Staying Curious

If our world is becoming augmented and automated, what is left to us to be better humans?

To develop human, design and technological skills. To go beyond labels and bias. To adapt and innovate.

To be ourselves, even if “the once-obvious line” with machines could blur.

Our proficiency in using and interacting with machines matters.

Could our augmented human self work better in complementarity and symbiosis with machines?

Does it matter to know how to use voice assistants like Google Home or Alexa to get things done? Does it matter to know how to use AI apps for personal, business usages, and to do good in our world?

What matters to me is the curiosity I have. The interest for emerging technologies, their usages, the emerging mindsets, behaviours and skillset for co-creating, collaborating and cooperating in our modern world.

Being Immersed

In 2017, I went to much more life places, exhibitions, fairs and conferences. I have also dived deep into online resources related to machine learning, robots, automation and work futures.

I play with Google Home to figure out how this device works for me and know its limits. I went to exhibitions in Paris, France:

• ‘ô boulot’ at MAIF Social Club: an art and tech exhibition on automation. I discussed with one of the curators the meaning of this exhibition.
• #Connexions at Station F: an interactive fair organized by Facebook on artificial intelligence, virtual reality, apps usages and their startup program.
• Exhibition ‘Artists & Robots’ in Le Grand Palais uses machines to imagine and create art.

I also watched the movies Blade Runner 2049 and Ex Machina to see how science fiction helps us think about the future of relationships between humans and machines.

I dived deep into the online courses:

• Introduction to machine learning: an online course by Google Digital Active & IAB Europe.

  This enabled me to understand how ‘small, big and prickly problems’ are tackled by Google through machine learning and why.

• Robots & Men: an online course brought by Usbek & Rica on robots and their business, cultural and social impacts on life and work.

Sharing Questions

I dived deep in machine learning, robots, automation and work futures through those online resources, events and conversations with people. However, that doesn’t mean that I am all in to use machine learning and the automation of everything.

“Will we blindly outsource and abdicate big chunks of our lives to the global technology companies – or will we take back our autonomy and demand a sustainable balance between technology and humanity?” — @gleonhard

http://www.techvshuman.com

The algorithms and biases brought and fed by them via the Internet, and emerging technologies should help us stay curious and develop our critical thinking.

We don’t have to drink like water what tech giants and unicorns create and evangelize. I suggest asking ourselves questions to pause and reflect:

Do the usages of machines…

… do good in our world or for-profit only?

… help us to be a better version of ourselves?

… enable us to develop my human skills?

… contribute to reinventing ourselves and our organizations?

… foster the development of new experiences and our portfolio?

… challenge the status quo instead of reinventing the wheel?

… help us see the big picture with fresh eyes?

… understand the complexity of a group, a movement of people or a city like Vienna?

Sharing Inspirations

“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” — Stephen Hawking