From Technology-Driven Society to Socially Oriented Technology. The Future of Information Society -- Alternatives to Surveillance

TL;DR

This paper discusses the rapid technological advancements and their implications for future society, emphasizing the shift from surveillance to socially oriented technology and the need for alternative approaches.

Contribution

It explores the societal impact of exponential computing growth and proposes a shift towards socially oriented technology as an alternative to surveillance.

Findings

Computing power is doubling every 18 months.

70% of financial transactions are computer-based.

AI like IBM's Watson surpasses some human services.

Abstract

Our society is changing. Almost nothing these days works without a computer chip. Computing power doubles every 18 months, and in ten years it will probably exceed the capabilities of a human brain. Computers perform approximately 70 percent of all financial transactions today and IBM's Watson now seems to give better customer advise than some human telephone hotlines. What does this imply for our future society?