“Artificial Unintelligence” Chapter One
Meredith Broussard works as an associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University (MeredithBroussard.com). With foundational studies in computer science, Broussard has a passion for researching artificial intelligence, with an emphasis in how it affects us socially. After reading chapter one of her book “Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World”, Broussard makes it clear that her goal is to teach us not only more about how technology works but also how to think harder about how we use it and make smarter decisions with it in our everyday lives.
In chapter one, one key concept Broussard introduces is “technochauvinism”. Technochauvinism is rooted in the opinion that technology will always be the solution. Taking this further, technochauvinists according to Broussard believe that if we were able to automate our world, essentially just using even more computers, somehow our social problems would simply disappear because technology is impartial and breaks everything down mathematically. Broussard states very clearly that this is completely wrong, and I totally agree with her. From what I’ve learned so far as a Digital Studies student shows me that because humans have inherent biases whether they think they do or not, when they create technology, those biases are essentially built in. No technology makes itself, someone always has to design it. I’ve seen this especially with specialized technology used for “smart policing”, that is quite controversial and has added to the social injustice we’ve been seeing today. Broussard asserts that technology will never be the solution for the issues humans have, many of which are issues we’ve been having for thousands of years. Therefore it makes me wonder, what if the future was about moving away from technology instead of towards it? It feels like for centuries humans have been trying to raise the complexity of our lives instead of simplifying.
Overall I can totally see Broussard teaching a class in my Digital Studies program, and I would for sure be coming to her office hours every day to bombard her with questions. I think what makes Digital Studies so important is to question why things are the way they are, thinking about who made them that way, and are they even good for us. Technology will always be a double edged sword in my mind, while we have learned to love it we are blinded by how much it truly does hurt us and hold us back from the simple things we need like true human connection. I think Broussard sees and understands this dichotomy and shares the same goals that we have of asking the hard questions for the sake of the truth.
