The Age of A.I.

    The 1950s introduced us to a world-changing technological advancement. The inventor John McCarthy gave us the reference to Artificial Intelligence. This accelerated advancement has now been woven into our everyday lives. From being awakened by our smartphones to asking Alexa what the weather will be like for the day, AI is an actual simulation of human intelligence. AI provides a computer program the ability to think and learn on its own.

    One of the most beneficial aspects of AI is that it can reduce errors and increase precision and accuracy in many different areas of life. In the workforce, Artificial Intelligence can work without needing a break. Human workers need breaks, require time off, and often become bored and overwhelmed with doing a job repetitively. With the use of AI algorithms, these machines can do the same job but do it with speed and efficiency that outworks people.

    Another advantage of this technology is the AI Robot. A robot is able to do risky things like defusing a bomb, traveling to Mars, or even mining for coal. AI is also being used for digital assistance, is able to make faster decisions, and is even able to detect breast cancer at earlier stages using advanced technologies. The "cons" of AI are numerous and problematic in regard to the fact that technology is making humans lazy. Why work when a computer can do it for you? AI is replacing humans in the workforce and often causing some levels of unemployment. Artificial intelligence is excellent when it comes to efficiency, but there is nothing that can replace human connection. A machine can be programmed to work through a task, but there's no emotion if there's a personal issue. According to In the Age of AI, "Facebook and Google have been "casting their nets' to gain behavioral prediction to sell to consumers." This free service has cashed in on what we show interest in and what we buy and has taken these signals to collect our information. The more that the consumer uses the AI experience, the stronger the relationship becomes.

    Artificial Intelligence has been used for national security on a variety of levels. One of the most intense forms is presently being used in China. AI is used for surveillance, where cameras are used on a constant basis to monitor and detect people through facial recognition. According to the Age of AI video, "China has a grand scheme to extend their control across the world." 2014 introduced "The Belt and Road Initiative." It is an attempt to create political leverage. The goal is to sell cameras worldwide to inflict control over citizens.

    After having viewed the "Age of AI video," I am much more aware of just how much I am influenced by AI. After having watched the "Age of AI video," it's a bit unnerving to actually be educated and informed on just how much our lives are affected and controlled by AI. I believe that knowledge is power, and the more informed we are as consumers, the more we will know how to protect ourselves.

Terms & Concepts: Section 230

The luxury of the Internet allows people all over the globe to connect, create and share ideas, and communicate on various levels. Our U.S. Congress recognized that for user speech to thrive on the Internet, “it had to protect the services that power users’ speech.”

This is where the law, Section 230 (originally part of the Communications Decency Act), comes into play. It protects Americans’ freedom of expression online. The law states: "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider." (47 U.S.C. § 230(c)(1)).

For over 25 years, the Section 230 law has kept us all safe on the internet. We are all covered under this law from individual users, websites, small bloggers, and big platforms. Users and services are kept from being sued for sharing photos, forwarding emails, and hosting online forums. When Section 230 was passed in 1996, approximately 40 million people were already using the internet. By 2019, more than 4 billion people were online. By now the estimated number of internet users is 5.16 billion worldwide.

The Section 230 law is considered to be an “exceptionalist” statute. This means that it treats the internet diversely. We are now allowed the opportunities to view things such as Wikipedia, a pee-operated encyclopedia, YouTube videos on how to repair your garage door, online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay, and many other online options.

There are some significant issues with Section 230 law. Even though the law has allowed some internet giants to gain notoriety, it has also shielded them from liability in some cases that would typically find them liable if a situation had indeed occurred, just not on the internet. One example is with SESTA (The Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act), which is now a bill that is currently being discussed in our Senate. “Sex Trafficking” has been the most controversial argument against Section 230 protections. The fact is Section 230 regularly protects websites that permit and promote prostitution from liability. Supports of the bill do not oppose Section 230 and understand that the freedom of speech portion is causing issues. Because Section 230 is protecting harmful and illegal activity, SESTA would address some of the significant problems.

Because Section 230 creates a broad immunity for online platforms, a “free for all” has been made in reference to freedom of speech without any fear of censorship or legal liability for any content that may be posted by their users. With the internet being used by the vast majority for communication, work, school, marketing, and more, almost all of us are affected by Section 230 in some form or fashion.

Section 230 does not affect individuals based on race, gender, socioeconomic class, or orientation. Section 230 affects all citizens, regardless of any situation. The bill stands to protect those who create and distribute content online from multiple legal liabilities. By allowing such broad protections, Section 230 aids in reducing inequality and discrimination.

The Supreme Court has never heard a Section 230 case—until now. February 21 and 22, 2023, will be days that go down as the start of some significant changes for the internet as we use it today. An agreement has been made that the court will review Gonzalez v. Google, in which the plaintiffs argue that YouTube's "targeted recommendation" of videos falls outside the Section 230 shield. When they examine Section 230, the justices could end the internet as we know it.

With the goal of Section 230 to protect online platforms from liability for the third-party content that they distribute, technology has evolved and changed online experiences dramatically. The U.S. Congress has failed to revisit policy issues considering those changes. It now has fallen into the hands of the Supreme Court to determine the future of the 21st Century’s social media practices.

Diffusion of Innovation

Every single innovation in this world goes through a form of evolution. Each new idea spreads through populations and societies from the original idea to the actual conception of the item. In 1962, Everett Rogers, an American theorist and sociologist, popularized the diffusion of innovations theory. This theory is an idea that works to describe the rate at which new technology or some new information travels.

A feature of the diffusion process is called “adopters.” Based on what the diffusion theory states, the adopters are how long it takes each person to adopt a new idea. This would be based on their openness to the innovation, culture, and education.

The iPhone is an example of innovation that can be analyzed using the diffusion theory. 2007 brought us Steve Jobs's introduction to the iPhone. He described it as “a revolutionary mobile phone,” a “widescreen iPod with touch controls,” and a “breakthrough Internet communications device.”

Before the iPhone, smartphones were being developed and evolving but not at the rate or intelligence of the iPhone. After this advanced technology was introduced, society as a whole became infatuated with the iPhone and its advancements. Touchscreen compatibility and multiple added features, such as music and internet accessibility, gave the “early adopters,” the middle-upper class of society, the advantage over other cell phone users.

The “late adopters” may have been uninterested in the IPhone at first as it was not cost effective.  Now, iPhones are all over the world and used by many in various socioeconomic classes. The benefits of this revolutionary technology allow consumers to access communication, social media, entertainment, music, gaming, Internet access, cameras, and much more.

I am sincerely thankful for the fact that I own an iPhone. It has greatly enhanced my life by waking me in the morning, keeping me reminded of appointments and allowing me to listen to my favorite music and that’s just a few of the many options it offers. What an incredible concept.

EOTO: The Radio

In 1895, an Italian inventor named Guglielmo Marconi had an idea to send a wireless Morse Code message to someone more than a kilometer away. He originally intended to use the device for use in contacting ships, but his work led to a communications revolution. He used radio waves to transmit the code. This device became known as “the radio.” Centuries later, the radio is now used as a source for information, entertainment, and communication worldwide.

FM radio, frequency modulation, has been considered to be one of the most “valuable electromagnetic waves in human discovery.” This technology is what allows us to have the emergency broadcast service that police and paramedics use today. It also allows simple things like baby monitors and microwaves.

The original form of radio was developed in “amplitude modulation,” which is what we refer to as AM radio. This form of radio was effective, but the audio quality was not very clear. There was often static, and the broadcasts could only be done on a single channel of audio. In comes Edwin Armstrong, an American inventor, and electrical engineer who developed FM radio.

Armstrong’s invention of the FM radio was the grand solution for the static heard across the AM radio waves. The bandwidth for FM radio is twenty times bigger than that of AM radio. Edwin was not initially supported by any of the large radio corporations and had to pay for most of his expenses out of pocket. 1940 finally brought a breakthrough, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowed commercial FM broadcasting. By 1941, approximately 400,000 FM radios had been sold. This was a game changer for the music and advertising industry.

As FM radio became popular, the FCC announced that the 40MHz band that FM radio was relying on would now be shared with TV broadcasts. During this time, RCA had a significant investment in those channels. NBC and RCA were intent on stealing FM technology and felt like it was alright to use the service without paying any royalties. It wasn’t until Armstrong’s passing that the golden years of radio began.

By the 1970s, radios were being made with the AM and FM options as the FM audience had become much larger than the AM listeners.

The Progressive Era

The voices of anti-war are usually not heard in mainstream news as the media companies are resistant to giving airtime because they are fearful of alienating the sponsors that pay for the airtime. Often media production companies have editorial policies and are reluctant to air such topics because they are fearful of what controversy may arise. There have been situations where people will gather for protests causing panic and social uproar. Unfortunately, freedom of the press is not a protected right in all areas of the world. An example of a rally gone wrong was in May of 1970 when 13 Kent State University students were shot by National Guardsman at a peaceful protest against wars. Four of those Kent State students passed away.  “That event, combined with Nixon's invasion of Cambodia, led to protests at more than 1,300 college campuses, with some 500 closed by student and faculty strikes.” This horrific moment in time was aired because of the violent repercussions of a peaceful protest against wars.

We do not hear of these websites simply because there is government censorship keeping the voices of these groups hushed. Most of the public is drawn to controversy, and the media focuses on what draws in large audiences. Because anti-war websites don't carry the impact that the larger funded websites do, these websites are not on larger search engines.

Seemingly, the government wants its people to be more like sheep and follow the herd. The less controversy, the better. The mainstream media has a tendency to stick with one-sided political opinions. The reality of war is not a topic that a large number of viewers are willing to seek out. War is often downplayed because of its devastating effects. In order to be more informed about these antiwar websites, people need to seek out media sources beyond the mainstream options.

Concept of Google

The concept of “Google” was the inventiveness of two Stanford University graduate students. September of 1998 brought Larry Page and Sergey Brin to a moment of brainstorming and creating a search engine phenomenon. Now, one of the world’s largest and most innovative internet companies, Google includes Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Calendar, and many other internet options.

The history of this duo’s work is based on wanting to create a search engine that would provide accuracy and speed and complete a mission to assist in organizing the world’s immense amount of information floating about on the web.

Some names were awkward for this creation. “Backrub” was the original name. It is a reference to how the program analyzed the web’s “back links.” The word “Google” was derived from a spelling mistake and the mathematical term “googolplex,” which means the number one followed by one hundred zeroes.

The circumstances surrounding “Google” were seemingly unconventional. Their first server was made of Legos, and the first Google “Doodle” was  “a stick figure in the logo announcing to site visitors that the entire staff was playing hooky at the Burning Man Festival.” The company was quirky but had immense gusto. Their brick-and-mortar of the family garage quickly became too small as the early years brought engineers, an expansive sales team, and even a company dog named “Yoshka.” Their present headquarters, in Mountain View, California,  became home  and is now called “The Googleplex.”

The invention of Google changed the world through its incredible ability to allow people to access and utilize information. It has empowered individuals and given them the ability to stay connected in ways no one ever thought possible. Businesses are growing exponentially by having the ability to increase their online advertising platforms by reaching potential customers. Google has sparked innovation and created technological advances for our present-day and also for future generations. These technologies have allowed individuals to arm themselves with knowledge and worthy information. One of the ideas that have been utilized in enabling people is the ability to research medical information and arrive at a doctor’s appointment with knowledge about a sickness. Google has enhanced people’s ability to apply for a new job, given individuals the ability to rebuild car engines, and has even taught people how to cook a five-course meal for 20 guests. Google’s advancements have changed so much for so many.

Google changed how the world communicates. For example, Google offers a variety of different ways for businesses to sell merchandise. Online purchasing uses Google search engines to look up items for consumption. Customers can seek out almost any item from various websites from Google’s search pages until they find a business they like. Google also enables business messaging with “Google RCS business messaging.” This experience includes communication protocol between “telephone carriers and between phone and carrier, aiming at replacing SMS messages with a text-message system that is richer, provides phone-book polling, and can transmit in-call multimedia.”

Google is now providing an opportunity to eliminate spam by being a “gatekeeper.” This option will enable the individual receiving the call to determine whether the call is received is from a bona fide company. If it is, it will inform the listener of the topic. If the listener cannot receive the call, they can respond to the caller with a text. There is also an option with Google to use “Screen Calling.” This is all on the customer’s side, who is using a new phone app on Android. Google’s service actually screens the incoming call with a text-to-speech that will speak on the person’s behalf and then speech-to-text ASR to understand what the caller said, and it shows a transcript to the person. The transcript can then be read, and a decision is made to pick up the call or disconnect the line.

If, in fact, using Google has any negative effects, it would be called “digital amnesia.” This experience is titled “The Google Effect.” It is literally forgetting information that is available through search engines like Google. We, as users, are not committing this information to memory as we know it is unnecessary due to the fact that we can just “ask Google.”

Overall, Google is a dynamic technology company that strives daily to create solutions that enrich and enhance its user experience.

Free Expression

An integral part of being an American is the gift of freedom of speech. Our society thrives on being able to communicate their thoughts and opinions freely. Whether it be a personal opinion or different viewpoints, it is our right to speak our minds. There are several countries worldwide where citizens are not allowed to express their thoughts. Their governments silence them and often in unpleasant ways. Vietnam is one of the countries that does not allow freedom of speech. Their government has strict censorship laws that limit not only speech but also writing.  Internet access there is heavily censored and very closely monitored. This is entrapment, manipulation, and an awful form of control. Allowing citizens to speak freely allows local communities and governments to benefit from various perspectives and encourages growth, thus allowing for new development. It also creates an open dialogue where people can learn and evolve from new ideas. Without open communication, society will become stagnant and cease to develop, which would then lead to disillusionment and failure for our world to survive. 

Our government could encourage ways to enhance freedom of innovation by allowing innovation labs, an actual place where people could go to brainstorm ideas and collaborate. I like the idea of a society celebrating failures as seeing a failed idea as taking a risk and creating a culture where people aren’t afraid to take a chance at something new and different. It would allow for so much more freedom instead of fear in our society.

When it comes to the Eight Values of Free Expression, the one that resonates with me the most is the valuable act of Promoting Innovation. Freedom of speech allows for promoting innovation and creates an energized society. Having the right to speak ideas is a place where individuals can share and encourage dialogue and debate topics. Government entities can develop innovative policies, and businesses can brainstorm visions, and create and design new products, thus allowing communities to expand and grow in a positive direction. All of this allows citizens to take some risks, trying out new ideas while embracing creativity. This resonates with me on a personal level, as I am passionate about the creative arts, especially theater. I have been involved since my early teenage years and see that freedom of speech has a profound impact on theater arts allowing actors and their writers to create thought-provoking theatrical performances. These performances are truly the cornerstone for freedom of speech as they provide a stage for artists to express their opinions, talents, and their perspectives without censorship. Theater also has the ability to be educational by allowing the audience to connect to social, cultural, and even sometimes political issues. I so admire those that are willing to stand on a stage and speak their minds and act out what their hearts and souls are feeling confident in expressing. I am very grateful for the opportunity I have to promote innovation by being allowed to perform and express my creativity in the theatrical arts.