The Impacts Of Human Digitalization
Intelligent Machines Replacing Humans
The Rise Of Machine Agency
Digital Depression
Digital Divide And Exclusion.
The term Human digitalization generally refers to the process of the rapid integration of digital technologies into various aspects of human life, activities, or identity. This integration might involve the use of digital tools, devices, and platforms to enhance, augment, or transform different facets of human existence. Despite being a relatively recent term, Human Digitalization is closely linked to the extensive discourse surrounding AI and its associated criticisms.
As humans, we actively participate and enjoy the advantages of smart technologies for their convenience and efficiency. The main purpose of digital transformations is to be people-oriented, to prioritize the well-being of individuals, aiming to enhance the quality and efficiency of life. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the effects of rapid digital transformation on people and their livelihoods. This evaluation is essential for gaining insights into the harmonious coexistence of humans and technology, ensuring that such advancements do not pose a threat to individuals.
The key questions worth considering in this context is;
First of all, given that we constantly participate in and take advantage of the convenience and efficiencies provided by smart technologies, what positive and negative effects of the ongoing digitalization in our surroundings do we recognize?
And secondly, are humans still in control and guiding the digital transformation, or is AI-driven technology now making decisions on our behalf?
So far, intelligent technologies have significantly transformed and influenced every facet of human existence, ranging from tangible smart devices to imperceptible digital infrastructures such as the cloud, platforms, and applications. The transition to a digital existence is no longer merely a vision for the future but has become a current reality.
The contemporary digital era was widely predicted to be a post-information age, where information is personalized, accessing information is streamlined, spatial and geographical barriers have dissolved, and machine-to-machine communications enable more sophisticated services. Many of these predictions have materialized in the contemporary digitized world, as reflected in the everyday utilization of convenient and intelligent technologies.
Undoubtedly, the world has reaped substantial benefits from this digital transformation and the corresponding digital lifestyle, as discussed and advocated in abundant literature and various resources. Nevertheless, the potential adverse effects of the human digitization phenomenon should gradually come to light as digital transformation advances towards a new and more sophisticated stage on a daily basis. As internet and technology usage accelerate, it is important for
humans to bear in mind the associated negative side effects on cognition and behaviour.
Let's look at one of the significant and visible impacts of human digitalization, that is, Technology dependency, and the ways it manifests in human interactions with technology.
Technology Dependency
In an increasingly digitalised and connected world, dependence on search engines for answers to any question have become a natural tendency. For instance, Google is widely regarded as the most popular search engine in the modern age. Experts in the field use the term “Google Effect” to address its influence on how people store, recall and access information and memory.
Studies show that people tend to prioritize enhancing their ability to remember where to find information online, rather than memorizing the information itself, which is referred to as transactive memory. Digital devices and the internet function as external memory storage, offering an alternative to the traditional method of committing information to memory. A study reveals that nearly 30% of individuals forget an online fact immediately after accessing it. Transactive memory is strengthened each time information is successfully retrieved from external storage, such as search engine websites or smart devices. This convenience has led to a preference for utilizing external information storage rather than relying on our own memory for such information.
The impact of the "Google Effect" on how individuals memorize, store, and retrieve information has been confirmed by studies examining cognitive perspectives. Research highlights substantial cognitive effects and structural alterations in the brain related to internet and mobile technology. These findings emphasize that the digitalization facilitated by technology tends to encourage shallow information processing patterns, characterized by rapid attention shifts and reduced thoughtful consideration. These behaviours are closely linked to multitasking tendencies, leading to heightened distractibility but poor executive control abilities.
Such negative and lasting impacts on cognitive functioning are making it increasingly challenging to remember, focus, and engage in information processing while regulating emotions. The repercussions of dependence on the internet and technology may extend to serious addictive behaviours. Studies have detected similar abnormal behaviours in brain networks as observed in individuals addicted to substances like alcohol and drugs. Their findings indicate that dependency on the internet and technology, classified as an addiction disorder, can disrupt functional connectivity and cause structural alterations in the brain, potentially worsening behavioural impairments.
Despite potential cognitive dysfunction and addiction disorders, the ongoing digital transformation of our world makes it nearly impossible to reduce time spent on the internet or using various smart devices.
Could this tendency be the result of a fear of falling behind or could it be a growing recognition that the inevitability of a digitized future demands active participation?
3. Impacts on Human Value
The fact that excessive dependence on technology can result in more harm than benefits, is particularly evident in the diminishing importance of human values during the process of digitalization. In the age of digitalization, the significance assigned to humans often undergoes varied treatment. Relying on smart devices for everyday activities replaces the cognitive efforts of the human brain, affecting the development of neural circuits and cognition. Consequently, this process gradually weakens neural capabilities while reinforcing over-dependence on technology.
Undoubtedly, the age of digitalization fosters remarkable scientific progress across various sectors, spanning the economy, healthcare, culture, and education, driven by the surge in AI technologies. Nonetheless, concerns regarding the potential of AI to surpass human intelligence and capabilities also arise.
An important aspect that can be interpreted from reports and research on the topic, including concerns
expressed by nearly a thousand technology pioneers and experts is that the human value is losing its appreciation in this process of adopting technology to improve the convenience and efficiency of our daily lives.
As we advance in the development of AI technologies, it is crucial to actively communicate the significance of maintaining human control and prioritizing human values. Ensuring that smart technologies align with human values will not impede the ongoing digital transformation; instead, it will foster its sustainable development in the long term while upholding human trust and preventing negative side effects. The incorporation of smart technologies will yield sustainable benefits in terms of enhancing human-to-human experiences and optimizing human living only when human values are genuinely prioritized in this context. Overlooking human values could raise ethical concerns regarding smart technologies, not to mention their advancements in enhancing human-to-human experiences.
Those working behind the scenes to develop and market smart devices, technologies, and applications share a common goal: to boost reliance on these products for profit. This objective itself raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding technologies that may overlook cognitive functions, harbour conscious or unconscious biases, and contribute to the misuse of cognitive dysfunction to foster increased dependency on smart applications and devices.
Continuous concerns persist regarding the ethics of smart technologies, with several studies examining various ethical aspects. Despite the myriad of emerging ethical concerns, those associated with prioritizing human values such as human control, human oversight, and human autonomy have not garnered much attention.
Indeed, public attention often centres on privacy, security, justice, and transparency. To a certain degree, this indicates that the ongoing development and digitalization transformation seem to be overlooking human value and its importance in the overall process. Human values such as empathy, curiosity, courage, instinct, imagination, emotional intelligence, innovation, and creativity—values that cannot be digitized or substituted by smart technologies—are pivotal in the era of digitalization. In fact, the focus on human values could be the determinant of reaching the highest potential in the digital age.
Human Vulnerability in Technology Evolution
Another important topic that needs to be addressed concerning human values is Human Vulnerability in the face of technological advancements. This includes the fear of getting replaced by machines, the rise of machine agency, digital depression and finally digital divide and exclusion. Let’s look at these concerns one by one.
1.The fear of Full Automation Replacing Humans
Initially, machines were designed to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and productivity, liberating humans from labour-intensive or repetitive tasks for more intelligent endeavours. The evolution of automation has been widely welcomed, but concerns about full automation displacing humans have risen rapidly, particularly in the last decade, as advancements in technology have made automation more sophisticated, posing a threat to various jobs. While the goal of automation aligns with improving productivity, the increasing intelligence of automation implies a shift for humans toward more complex or non-programmable tasks.
Machines and robots now possess sufficient intelligence to make informed decisions with minimal inaccuracies, surpassing human efficiency and productivity. The scale and intelligence of automation continue to grow rapidly, outpacing developments in human intelligence. The fear of replacement may stem from the challenge for the majority of the workforce to acquire skills in intelligent tasks at a pace matching automation, hindered by limited resources and support.
Former human advantages over automation, such as personal judgment and flexibility, have diminished as smart technologies enable machines to learn and process complex information. Computers today can diagnose situations and identify challenges unnoticed by humans. As a result, a growing fear among humans of being replaced by intelligent machines is understandable, especially among people unfamiliar with the intricacies of smart automation. If not properly addressed, this concern could lead to a defective, emotionless employment relationship. The ethics of automation in replacing the human labour force, and responsibilities of employers/companies in this aspect are key to addressing this emerging concern and protecting human vulnerabilities.
2. the rise of machine agency
Humans often tend to place blind faith in technology. Research indicates that individuals with high levels of machine heuristics tend to place more trust in computers than in other humans, particularly concerning personal information. This inclination is likely driven by the perception that machines are lawful, honest, and devoid of selfish motivations. Powerful media platforms exploit this trust to enhance convenience and provide information for decision-making.
Similarly, it is natural for people to rely on smart navigation applications for directions, check product reviews before making purchases, and choose popular or recommended restaurants based on online reviews from platforms like Google or Yelp.
However, this reliance on technology is not universally applicable. For instance, a navigation app might consistently suggest a route different from the one preferred based on local knowledge. Similarly, a restaurant recommended as popular online may not live up to expectations, and a highly reviewed company might offer poor-quality service. The allure of trending products on media platforms may not translate to practicality in daily use. Additionally, individuals may find themselves dependent on technology for tasks such as looking up postcodes or remembering contact details without their smartphones.
Experts in the field describe this phenomenon as the rise of machine agency, where machines gain more agency, and media experiences become increasingly shaped by algorithms. In contrast, human agency weakens, as many lack knowledge about algorithmic processes, sacrificing independence, privacy, and control over decision-making processes. These negative effects and the self-inflicted vulnerability of humans are expected to persist as smart technologies and AI-led platforms continue to advance.
The tension between human and machine agency is likened to a forthcoming clash between man and machine, a match between humanity and technology. experts emphasize that complete trust in technology should be avoided, and technology should be treated as an option that can be leveraged. Collaborative efforts between humans and machines are advocated to negotiate the type and degree of agency, ensuring that machine agency enhances rather than threatens human agency. Human emotions cannot be easily programmed or altered, which underscores the importance of involving humans in the changes and building a healthy symbiotic relationship between humans and AI.
3. Digital Media Depression
Social media platforms have deeply integrated into our daily lives, shaping our communication and societal integration in the digital era. These intelligent platforms strive to replicate real-world communities, fostering convenient information sharing and communication. However, numerous studies have explored the strong link between media and technology use and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal behaviours, particularly among young children.
The adverse effects on mental health resulting from increased technology use may stem from various factors: a lack of in-person emotional communication and social interactions, insufficient sleep or disruptions in sleep patterns and quality, exposure to online/social media environments with problematic values, and social anxiety related to concerns about inadequate connectivity.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in screen exposure and technology usage through various digital platforms. Researchers have found that heightened screen exposure and digital media use are closely linked to disrupted sleep patterns, a diminished sense of time, emerging mental health issues, and somatic pain. Our heightened reliance on digital platforms and smart technologies today is partly attributed to the comprehensive digital transformation of nearly every aspect of daily life. Another crucial factor is that many media platforms are intentionally designed to encourage shallow information processing and promote passive usage, contributing to the growing dependency on technology.
4. Digital Divide and Exclusion
While the majority of digital natives happily embrace various smart platforms and technologies, a significant proportion of people globally, living in isolation or poverty, lag behind in the digitalization process. According to a UN report, almost half of the world's population lacks internet access, with only a few countries at the forefront of technological advancements.
The digital divide, encompassing disparities between developed and less developed regions, rich and poor, and different age groups, increases existing inequalities and contributes to increased digital isolation.
The term "digital divide" encompasses physical access to digital resources and devices, digital skills and usage, and the outcomes of using or not using digital media. Despite ongoing efforts by global organizations, governments, and local communities to bridge the digital gap, especially for the poor and elderly, disparities persist across various layers.
Addressing the fundamental layer of the digital divide, such as physical access, seems straightforward on the surface, with efforts to increase digital infrastructure capacity and provide affordable smart devices to the digitally disadvantaged. However, solving the physical access gap alone is insufficient as the digital divide deepens and widens. Digitally vulnerable individuals need additional support and guidance on digital skills to effectively utilize equipment and technologies. Initiatives are necessary to explain the technical details of smart technologies and algorithms and ensure understanding among the majority, including the digitally disadvantaged, as this is key to addressing the digital divide.
By effectively pinpointing human vulnerabilities, we can deepen our comprehension of domains or topics in the contemporary digital era where genuine appreciation for human values is lacking. Simultaneously, highlighting these areas will, to some degree, reflect the existing concerns related to smart technology and the broad-reaching consequences of digital transformation. In essence, these discoveries will unveil the problematic facets within the realm of digitalization. The goal is not to resist digitalization and smart technologies but, on the contrary, to offer meaningful guidance for steering towards a more favourable trajectory of digitalization.
Conclusion
The increasing reliance on technology necessitates a reconsideration of our digital behaviour. We now use digital platforms and devices as external storage for information, adapting to shallow information processing and passive use of media platforms to quickly access and process information. Our decisions and resource coordination often depend on reviews and information generated by programmed intelligent machines. While this reliance on smart technologies is partly inevitable due to the rapid digital transformation, it is also a result of the initial design of intelligent platforms, where human values have been overlooked, and humans have lost control over choices and privacy.
The negative side effects of this growing dependence on smart technologies are gaining attention, including cognitive dysfunction, addiction disorders, and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal behaviours. The pace of human digitalization raises questions about how fast this journey should progress and how long we can ignore the consequences before it becomes too late. Striking a crucial balance is urgently required, considering the unbalanced awareness and attention compared to the rapidly advancing trend of digitalization.
Looking to the future, the complete digitalization of the world raises concerns, as our current discoveries suggest that humans may struggle to remain unaffected by the increasing negative aspects of digitalization. Emphasizing human values in the digital transformation process is crucial, as it ensures control and the advantage of human agency over machine agency. Prioritizing human value can enhance human-to-human experiences, minimize negative side effects, and promote sustainable digital transformation.
The vulnerabilities exposed during the digital transformation process serve as warning signs that cannot be overlooked. Clear boundaries regarding privacy and ethics in digital living must be established, especially to protect digitally vulnerable individuals. Bridging the digital divide, reducing digital exclusion, and providing wider access to the internet and smart devices are urgent priorities. Education in digital skills, programming, and algorithm awareness is essential to empower individuals to make better use of smart technologies.
In conclusion, ethical AI should be viewed as a tool for intelligence augmentation, prioritizing human values and agency over machine agency. Collaborations between humans and AI, emphasizing coexistence and shared values, will contribute to better user experiences and increased trust in AI. Identifying the correct direction and pattern of coexistence can prevent further negative consequences and secure human interests in the digital world, despite the challenges and side effects encountered during the rapid progression of the human digitalization journey.