Intelligence Squared Business Weekly: Exponential, with Azeem Azhar
Sep 27, 2021
In this engaging discussion, Azeem Azhar, a prominent writer and technologist known for his Exponential View newsletter, reveals how we're entering an Exponential Age. He highlights the growing 'exponential gap' between our fast-paced technological advancements and the slower adaptation of society. The conversation delves into future predictions for 2031, the psychological consequences of rapid change, and the challenges of the gig economy. Azeem argues for urgent regulatory reforms to ensure technology serves public interests while retaining human values.
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A Turning Point in Technology
- We are at a turning point not seen since Gutenberg's printing press.
- Exponential technologies like smartphones and gene sequencing are ubiquitous, reflected in industry structure and our economies.
Anxiety and Societal Impact of Technological Change
- People are anxious about the rapid pace of technological change because they feel a lack of control.
- This anxiety can manifest as societal distrust and declining civic discourse, though not solely responsible for political shifts.
Technology's Non-Neutrality
- The claim that technology is neutral is a fiction.
- Technologies are human constructs and inherently reflect societal values, also influencing human behavior in return.
