Technology is exponential but humans are not
- Author: Gerd Leonhard
- Word Count: 361
Read the news article
“Technology is exponential but humans are not and can do great things, but it does not WANT to do great things – it does not want anything” says Apple’s CEO Tim Cook (a quote I have often used in my talks). Technology is a tool not a purpose – see my ‘carpenter and the hammer example’ (video).
“BOTH BIOTECH AND AI ARE DUAL-USE TECHNOLOGIES, MEANING THEY CAN BE WIELDED FOR BOTH BENEFICIAL AND MALIGN PURPOSES. THAT MAKES THEM FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, ESPECIALLY SINCE SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME RISKS — LIKE, SAY, A DANGEROUS VIRUS LEAKING OUT OF A LAB — COULD BE ACCIDENTAL, NOT PURPOSEFUL.”
VIA AXIOS FUTURE
Technology is exponential but humans are not
While it is very hard to define a universal set of ethics or norms and every country has different rules around data privacy and surveillance, it has become clear that we need to find ways of putting collective digital privacy rights in place.
The EU sis drafting an AI regulation in which rules would set limits around the use of artificial intelligence in a range of activities, in “an attempt to regulate an emerging technology before it becomes mainstream” according to The New York Times.
As I wrote in chapter 2 of my book “Technology vs Humanity” “Technology is exponential and has no ethics, and therefore its imminent entry into our most private lives and biological processes must be negotiated as a top civic and corporate priority”.
“Digital Ethics is really about this issue of keeping humanity alive and not putting the machines inside absolutely everything”
In this Tedx Talk back in 2014 (!), I point out the fact that “The power of technology had already surpassed the scope of our ethics”… That was back then but look at it now…Technology is exponential
I think technology is now on the verge of becoming unlimitedly powerful, especially after the Covid-19 crisis that served to accelerate their uses and applications of digital technologies in response.
We are entering very an era in which it’s no longer merely “data is the new oil” but ‘data is the new plutonium’.
Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter
Speaker Listing
Further articles you may enjoy:
- (18)
How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says: IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT A CULTURE, LISTEN TO THE STORIES. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE A CULTURE, CHANGE THE STORIES. I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD of a […]
- January 16, 2023
- (7)
Leaders…You Don’t Need To Have All The Answers for when Juli Shulem was in high school, there was a teacher that had a brilliant line when he was asked a question that he didn’t know the answer to in the moment. He would state: “That is beyond the scope of this course,” with a smile. […]
- December 18, 2022
- (12)
Celebrating Women’s Month New York 2024: Unveiling the Empowering Keynote Speakers for New York’s Premier Conference Event Women’s Month New York 2024: As we embark on the journey of Women’s Month 2024, the city of New York is gearing up to host an extraordinary conference event that promises to inspire, empower, and celebrate the achievements […]
- March 4, 2024
- (46)
Wildlife motivational speakers are unique in the world of keynote speakers. They draw from the wonders of nature and their experiences in the wild to inspire and motivate audiences. These speakers often possess backgrounds as conservationists, wildlife experts, adventurers, and environmentalists. Their messages are not only about protecting the planet but also about leadership, resilience, […]
- August 15, 2024
- (5)
A few months ago, the National Safety Council had me as the closing keynote speaker on the acceleration of risk for their massive annual conference – and I spoke to a few thousand safety professionals on issues surrounding new, emerging. Including a story of what happened when Rosie the Robot from the Jetsons went rogue! […]
- January 10, 2023
- (5)
BEING MINDFUL OF MINDSETS and The Power of a Growth Mindset by Grant Driver In July 2019, I experienced one of the most significant and yet most daunting moments of my career as a professional speaker. I had been invited by Discovery Healthcare to present a 3-hour workshop to thirty Neurosurgeons on my research into […]
- January 23, 2023
- (7)
The Wonderbag is up for yet another accolade; the Food Planet Prize rewards excellence in environmental-based food innovation. South Africa (14 September 2022) – Wonderbag, a South-African-based startup founded by social entrepreneur Sarah Collins, has developed a simple yet pioneering cooking tool that continues to cook food which has been brought to boil by conventional methods. It […]
- December 23, 2022
- (17)
You’ve seen it before where Celebrity Speakers Are a Waste of Money. A big conference rolls out the red carpet for some A-list celebrity, hyped as the highlight of the event. But when they hit the stage, all you get is a generic, uninspired speech that could’ve been ripped from a self-help book. 💰 Thousands […]
- January 30, 2025
