Transformation and the Fourth Industrial (Data) Revolution; Research World, September 17, 2019

Joaquim Bretcha, Research World; Transformation and the Fourth Industrial (Data) Revolution

Opening speech at ESOMAR’s Congress in Edinburgh...

"Which core values must we keep as fundamental in order to maintain our essential Identity? I believe the two central values we must retain are:

• Human centricity: The honest willingness to understand people
• Ethics

Let me focus on ethical behaviour. Today it seems that technology is everything. The current business culture makes us believe that our companies will lose market share if they do not invest heavily in Artificial Intelligence and automation. And as it was certain with the steam machines in the First Industrial Revolution, it might be certain in the Fourth. However, allow me to reinforce one message: Technology is NOT neutral. Technology is the reflection of the values, principles, interests and biases of its creators."

The Most Important Skills for the 4th Industrial Revolution? Try Ethics and Philosophy.; EdSurge, October 6, 2018

Tony Wan, EdSurge; The Most Important Skills for the 4th Industrial Revolution? Try Ethics and Philosophy.

"[Patrick] Awuah [founder and president of Ashesi University College in Ghana], a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, continued: “If humans are designing machines to replace humans, versus helping them get work done, then that will change the structure of humanity to something that we have never seen. I’ve not read any history books where whole societies were not working. This is why it’s so important to have history and philosophy as part of the curriculum for somebody who's being educated as an engineer.”

In the United States, increased interest in technology and computer-science related career has correlated with a precipitous drop in the proportion of humanities majors at colleges. For Goodman, that’s one of his biggest worries for the future. “We’re entering a time when schools are eliminating programs in humanities, and philosophy departments are becoming an endangered species.”

“We need to be educating people so they are productive and employable,” Awuah later added. “But we also need to be educating people so that they’re creating a society that is livable and social, where human interaction is important.”"

Consider ethics when designing new technologies; TechCrunch, 12/31/16

Gillian Christie, TechCrunch; 

Consider ethics when designing new technologies:

[Kip Currier: Happy 2017! 1st post here for the new year.]

"In the weeks since the U.S. presidential election, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been firefighting. Not literally, but figuratively. Widespread accusations assert that his social media company contributed to the election’s unexpected outcome by propagating fake news and “filter bubbles.” Zuckerberg has harshly refuted these allegations, but the case poses a thorny question: How do we ensure that technology works for society?

A Fourth Industrial Revolution is arising that will pose tough ethical questions with few simple, black-and-white answers. Smaller, more powerful and cheaper sensors; cognitive computing advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, predictive analytics and machine learning; nano, neuro and biotechnology; the Internet of Things; 3D printing; and much more, are already demanding real answers really fast. And this will only get harder and more complex when we embed these new technologies into our bodies and brains to enhance our physical and cognitive functioning."