The Symbolism of Computers in 1950s America and the Vietnam War

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Computers symbolize the war in Vietnam and the stifling bureaucracy of institutionalized life connected to capitalism. Student radicals attack computer centers and campuses to protest against these symbols. Computers reinforce existing power structures and limit our understanding of humanity.

Paris Marx is joined by Ben Tarnoff to discuss the ELIZA chatbot created by Joseph Weizenbaum in the 1960s and how it led him to develop a critical perspective on AI and computing that deserves more attention during this wave of AI hype.

Ben Tarnoff writes about technology and politics. He is a founding editor of Logic, and author of Internet for the People: The Fight for Our Digital Future. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @bentarnoff.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

The podcast is produced by Eric Wickham and part of the Harbinger Media Network.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Ben wrote a long article about Weizenbaum and what we can learn from his work for The Guardian.
Paris wrote a skeptical perspective on AI hype and the promises of ChatGPT in Disconnect.
Zachary Loeb has also written about Weizenbaum’s work and perspective on AI and computing.

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