Technology: Limited or Infinite?

• Published in: Emerging Media 2024-03, Vol.2 (1), p.55-69
• Main Authors: Jai, Ben-Ray, Shih, Meng-Fen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2752-3543; 2752-3551
• DOI: 10.1177/27523543241246586

With the advent of the internet, robotics, and artificial intelligence, the world of the internet is undergoing a tremendous technological revolution that is altering human society at a rate never seen before. P2P networking and computing have become so widespread that communities with close to 60 million members regularly engage. Due to the extensive influence of the internet on culture and society, it is imperative to adjust to the ever-evolving terrain. Kelly argues that technology growth follows a developmental curve independent of human or socioeconomic circumstances, drawing comparisons between it and biological evolution. Based on Moore's law, which claims that chip computer performance doubles every three years and increases exponentially, Ray Kurzweil's theory forecasts future technological growth. Calling this “the age of spiritual machines,” he projects that by 2029, machines will be more advanced than people. The rapid and powerful development of AI has led to the emergence of LLM models, allowing for the simulation and training of different areas of human cognition at high speeds. Human civilization, culture, and brain anatomy will change as a result of the introduction of new media and techniques. The rule of accelerating returns enables us to predict potential developments in the upcoming years since technology may free up human labor, and society ought to benefit from it rather than be constrained by it. The AI era is heading toward the emancipation of all limitations, even while it poses hazards like cybercrime, the digital gap, poverty, unemployment, energy crises, sustainability issues, and financial risks. We can anticipate a different and more optimistic world if we examine “what technology wants” and the law of accelerating returns.