Which comes first, the pet or the ability to pet? Sounds like a silly question, but I often find my pets staring down the other things on which I spend my digital time. They don't understand why I spend so much time petting my laptop, tablet, and smartphone. So I drew up this cartoon to remind myself of the value and importance of human touch over the touch screen.
We are deep into the digital era, and what that means is changing. Instead of putting things at our fingertips, it could be about to replace the need for them. There is a new device coming to town, it is referred to as the first "family robot" named Jibo.
This summer, close to 3000 people paid more than $500 apiece in advance orders through crowd-funding, to put themselves under the constant surveillance of these tabletop bots which promise to digitally perform life's little chores and pleasures for us.
The Jibo fundraising video promises to take our place, play with, read to, educate, and tuck-in the kids, take our pictures, tell us what to do, when to do it, and decide what we will eat for dinner because....it will know us so well.
This summer, close to 3000 people paid more than $500 apiece in advance orders through crowd-funding, to put themselves under the constant surveillance of these tabletop bots which promise to digitally perform life's little chores and pleasures for us.
The Jibo fundraising video promises to take our place, play with, read to, educate, and tuck-in the kids, take our pictures, tell us what to do, when to do it, and decide what we will eat for dinner because....it will know us so well.
After I saw the promo I picked up my dog and hugged him, then reached over and petted my cat because life, real life, is not about what digital devices can do for us, but what our digital devices, our own two hands, can do for others.
While I did draw the cartoon on a tablet, posted it and this blog by computer, and know the only way you can see the following links is via technology, I do so as a reminder that how and why we use these tools is still a matter of choice which, if not made, will be made for us.
That we can still communicate by touch without a screen, is a gift we can and should demonstrate without assistance as often as possible to stay in-tune with what is truly wonderful about human life.
So, pet your pets if you've go them, and hug someone close to you today instead of texting emoji hearts, and give yourself a pat on the back for being human as only you can be.
While I did draw the cartoon on a tablet, posted it and this blog by computer, and know the only way you can see the following links is via technology, I do so as a reminder that how and why we use these tools is still a matter of choice which, if not made, will be made for us.
That we can still communicate by touch without a screen, is a gift we can and should demonstrate without assistance as often as possible to stay in-tune with what is truly wonderful about human life.
So, pet your pets if you've go them, and hug someone close to you today instead of texting emoji hearts, and give yourself a pat on the back for being human as only you can be.
Interesting, expert views on AI and the state of technology:
Helping Computers to Understand Humans
Blurring the Boundary: The Future of Machine Perception
More from The Conference in Sweden
Blurring the Boundary: The Future of Machine Perception
More from The Conference in Sweden
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