Let's talk tech Thursdays #1
Welcome to the first ever "Let's talk tech Thursday" newsletter! I'm so glad you decided to join.
This week is certainly a strong start (if I do say so myself), with a mix of fascinating innovations and unsettling trends.
- As AI tools become more ingrained in our lives, new research suggests they might be eroding both critical thinking and software engineering skills, raising the question of how much expertise we’re willing to trade for convenience.
- Meanwhile, privacy concerns loom large, with the UK government pushing for an encryption backdoor and Amazon quietly removing the ability to process personal data locally.
- And if that weren’t enough, climate change is now threatening our ability to maintain satellites in orbit. As technology evolves, so do its unintended consequences.
Let’s dig in...
Microsoft Co-Authored Paper Suggests the Regular Use of Gen-Ai Can Leave Users With a 'Diminished Skill for Independent Problem-Solving'
Summary
A recent paper by Microsoft and Carnegie researchers suggests that heavy reliance on generative AI can weaken workers' problem-solving skills. The study found that as confidence in AI tools increased, critical thinking efforts decreased among users. To address this issue, the authors recommend designing AI tools that promote awareness and support critical thinking.
So what?
There are some limitations to this study, which the article does point out. But anyone who has critically used AI is not likely to be surprised by the outcome. While technology making our lives easier is a good thing, how many skills have we already lost our knack for?
The Hidden Cost of AI-Generated Code: We're Creating Tomorrow's Technical Debt Today
Summary
AI coding tools are increasing technical debt in software development, leading to lower quality code and a decline in essential engineering skills. While the output might look good, the focus on speed is undermining code maintainability and general understanding. To address these issues, the article suggests investing in engineering education while also establishing guidelines for AI usage.
So what?
Part of the problem is that people have never really understood the value of a good engineer, they just knew they needing engineering. With GenAI so easy to access, the engineering part can be done more cheaply. But it's a false economy that is only going to spiral downwards without intervention. To put this more broadly, if we replace all the junior positions at companies with AI bots, where are all the senior positions going to come from?
UK Government Hushes Up Its Apple Data Grab
Summary
The UK government is trying to force Apple to create a backdoor for encryption, which would allow authorities to access users' data. This move has raised concerns about privacy rights and could lead to similar demands from other platforms. Many organizations and individuals are calling for transparency in the case, fearing it may erode fundamental civil liberties.
So what?
Without hyperbole, there are fewer tech stories happening at the moment that scare me as much as this one. Everything from the very idea that government could effectively end encryption on personal data, to the secrecy involved in the case itself, should be highly concerning to everyone. This kind of technology can't be surgical or applied only when needed. Once you give someone a backdoor into a messaging app, no messages on that platform are safe.
Study: Climate Change Will Reduce the Number of Satellites That Can Safely Orbit in Space
Summary
A new study from MIT shows that climate change will shrink the upper layer of the atmosphere, reducing the number of satellites that can safely orbit Earth. By 2100, the study predicts that the carrying capacity for satellites in low Earth orbit could drop by 50-66% if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.
So what?
From communications to navigation, research to disaster response, environmental modelling to weather forecasting, we rely on satellites for a considerable amount. To half our capacity would require a fundemental rethink in the way we behalf with modern technology.
Everything You Say to Your Echo Will Be Sent to Amazon Starting on March 28
Summary
Amazon will begin sending all voice recordings from Echo devices to its cloud on March 28, removing a privacy feature that allowed local processing. Users who want to keep their recordings private will lose access to the Voice ID feature, which enhances Alexa’s capabilities. This change reflects Amazon's push for its new subscription service, Alexa+, while raising concerns about user privacy.
So what?
Amazon will sell this as needing to use their servers to let you make the most of the latest in AI tech, and they won’t be the last to do this kind of thing. As the line between buying a product (like the Echo) and a service (like Alexa) continues to blur, companies are going to increasingly change the name of the game after you’ve bought the product. Also of concern, for much of this new Echo technology to work, your voice profile will need to sit on their servers - one more peice of biometric data.
I hope you enjoyed my first newsletter! If you want to read more, I'm afraid you can't... this is the first one! But, you might be interested in some of the other things I've written, such as what happened the time my LinkedIn got hacked.
Otherwise, I'd love to hear what you thought about the articles above. Reach out via email, or find me on BlueSky or Mastodon.
I'll see you here the same time next week. Until then, hope you have a great week!
-- Will