The Telegraph Technology Intelligence Live event in London on 24 October 19 addressed key issues and opportunities in tech.
Nicky Morgan (Secretary of State at the Dept of Culture, Media and Sport) gave a strong keynote address on:
- The social challenges of tech
- The need for AI talent
- Upskilling charities to take advantage of tech
- International coordination around tech
- The global social benefits of tech
- Ensuring financial inclusion
- Ensuring algorithms are free of unconscious bias
- Countering online harm and terrorism
Of itself tech is morally neutral. Harnessing the power of technology to revolutionise for good both individuals and society is exciting with unlimited potential. VR (virtual reality) for instance is transforming medical training for surgeons. We Walk is a smart cane that allows visually impaired people to move about with an intelligent white stock with global positioning. It now offers once dreamt of independence at an affordable cost of just £400 per stick.
Everybody needs enfranchising with tech, not just the tech savvie! Education is key. Control over our own data is hugely complex. Mitigating the downsides of technology to facilitate terrorism, drugs etc is a real challenge.
Tech has to be used, and is being used, to outsmart the bad guys. Facebook’s new initiative with the Met Police to prevent the live-streaming of terrorist attacks is such an example. Regulatory involvement vs unbridled innovation in tech creates a tension that is still very much a work in progress (eg Facebook’s proposed Libra currency).
Regulators must be ahead of the curve and not behind it. The concept of making payments as we know it today will change. Scaling up is key to many tech companies but huge organisations create their own risks for society. Public trust is hard to win and easy to lose.
Tech is undoubtedly changing all our lives!
technology #innovation ethics dailytelegraph