Weekend links: We humans do have agency over technology

The Lazy Tyranny of the Wait Calculation – Given the current pace in AI innovation, is it better to start building your new product/service with AI today, or is it better to wait? Ethan Mollick frames this question in an interesting way.

How is AI changing gymnastics – I'm not into gymnastics, only football. Had totally missed the technology revolution in this space. Fascinating read from MIT Technology Review. Not only for those interested in gymnastics and AI, but for everyone curious about using AI as a tool for augmenting human decision-making. How can it be used to build fairer systems? What are the trade-offs when the human element is reduced?

Privacy is social – Reminder from Doc Searls: Privacy is a social construct. For physical settings, we have had centuries to find social norms. In digital, not so many years.

The myth of the technological inevitability

If you want big scientific breakthroughs, you’re going to need tons of funding and a lot of time. The private sector isn’t going to get involved until scientific uncertainty has been replaced by financial risk. If the funding isn’t there, and/or there are regulatory roadblocks (for good reasons OR bad reasons), there just aren’t going to be many breakthroughs

We humans do have agency over how technology is developed and used. Dave Krapf returns to Wired in the late 90s and the debate on human clones – and why public funding is an important part of the equation.