You Can't Win Without Emerging Technology

Our society is increasingly modeled on a 'winner-take-all' system. While it’s true that each sector mints its winners, they still represent a tiny segment of our population. Success and prosperity for the few should be celebrated, but not at the expense of lifestyle deprecation for the many. I find it hard to believe that most people wish to work hard only to create a world where a handful flourish, while the majority grapple with survival. How can we steer society toward a more sustainable and equanimous future and can emerging tech in AI, Machine Learning and Blockchain help us navigate our way through our current problems?

This isn't an argument against individual achievement or wealth. It's a call to examine the scales. I’m going to write a series of articles on this subject and by the end, we’ll have gone beyond a thought model and identified key action points to act upon.

In this edition, I’ll examine strategic regulatory policies in the areas of antitrust laws, data sovereignty, open standards, and consumer protection that our society could adopt to meet our egalitarian goal.

Tech Titans From Coast to Coast and Not a Single Antitrust Law in Sight

It feels like a different world when Microsoft faced antitrust scrutiny. Today, regulatory action from the American government, except for the SEC’s interest in regulating blockchain service providers, seems improbable.

And yet, the tech landscape is inundated by behemoths that have dominated their competition. Google prevails over search, YouTube monopolizes video content, and Uber is the face of ridesharing. LinkedIn and Meta command the social media spectrum, Apple is synonymous with mobile, and Amazon seems to own anything they like.

The playbook is straightforward: corner a market, snuff out competition, often by buying it, then expand. Amazon's journey from an online bookstore to the juggernaut it is today epitomizes this. As it grew, its casualties mounted: publishers, traditional retailers, even sectors such as cloud computing.

Some of the losers are difficult to feel sorry for. However, it seems as though the next wave of victims will not be established industries, but the users, themselves.

Interestingly, most of the tech titans come from America. Some may argue that their success is no longer paying dividends to American citizens. While tech giants have contributed to economic growth and previously provided lucrative job opportunities, recent actions, such as large-scale layoffs and preference for H1-B hires over domestic talent, have fomented concerns about big tech’s commitment to American workers.

Perhaps this next point is tangential, or a symptom of a larger problem beyond tech, however, job market data suggests strength, but many find themselves in a state of underemployment or joblessness with few prospects for meaningful employment.

The interplay between politicians and corporate lobbyists remains a topic of debate. Lobbying is an ingrained aspect of the legislative process, but to what extent it shapes policy or is healthy for the public, is a concern for many.

The U.S. is hesitant to curtail its winners, but unchecked dominance has consequences. Conquerors seek to conquer. It might be Europe, with a more stringent regulatory approach, that offers a blueprint for balancing innovation with fair competition. Either we learn from them, or risk waiting until American tech dominance wanes, triggering a reactionary wave of overregulation.

Of the two trajectories, the former seems to be the wiser choice.

Machine Learning, Protector of Fair Competition

How do we, as a society interested in prosperity for many, keep vigilance over 'winners' without stifling innovation or resorting to arbitrary punitive measures? Hardline skeptics may hate this answer, but the solution may lie within technology itself.

Machine learning offers unparalleled capability to process and analyze vast volumes of data at speeds that outstrip human capability. Instead of relying solely on human regulators, who may be overwhelmed by the volume of data, we can complement human expertise with technological tools.

By leveraging machine learning, we can design systems to continuously monitor market behaviors. These algorithms can be trained to recognize patterns indicative of antitrust violations. From identifying price-fixing patterns to detecting various market manipulations, ML can assist with real-time alerts.

Such a system offers dual advantages:

Adaptability

As markets evolve, machine learning models can be retrained to understand new market dynamics, ensuring that they remain effective in spotting antitrust issues.

Objectivity

While human decisions can sometimes be influenced by external factors, algorithms, when designed responsibly, can provide consistent analysis. A responsible pairing of humans and algorithms may reduce misguided interventions and ensure critical antitrust violations are not overlooked.

Automated systems are not intended to solve all problems on their own. They work best in tandem with human oversight. Regulators would become more efficient in tracking unethical behavior by reviewing flagged issues and ensuring that alerts generated by the algorithm translate to real-world antitrust concerns.

Merging machine learning technology working with regulators will create a dynamic, adaptive, and objective system, potentially marking the way forward in ensuring a level playing field in the tech industry.

Data Wants to be Sold to the Highest Bidder

Our world is teeming with data; every person produces untold amounts every day. In the past, it was said, “Information wants to be free,” but today data is big business. Unfortunately, we’ve all become the product. Data generated from multiple sources reveals our behaviors, preferences, and routines.

Frustratingly, the mechanics of this collection remain opaque. It appears that data markets have become more clandestine after the Cambridge Analytica revelations. Why such secrecy? Recent history has shown us the risks: data being weaponized, manipulated, and used as tools against the very people it's sourced from. It’s a worrisome cycle, where users are often in the dark about how their data is accessed, manipulated, or even commodified.

Perhaps worst of all, your data isn't yours. As a member of today’s society, you produce data points every moment. It flows from your behaviors into vast corporate databases where its fate is dictated by obscure algorithms written by unknown engineers, directed by shielded executives.

Regulations, such as GDPR, have attempted to restore the balance of power, but current measures have failed to unravel the massive imbalance of power that big tech holds over their users.

Our current systems have continued the trend but with more sophistication and opacity. Those who produce data retain no ownership, while those knowledgeable in its manipulation gain increasingly disproportionate power and influence.

Secure Data Sovereignty with Blockchain Technology

Tech corporations hold an unprecedented amount of our data. While these entities amass power, blockchain offers the opportunity to redistribute it. Transforming data ownership into a fundamental right will equate its importance with enduring principles such as the right to life and liberty.

Blockchain introduces the principle of Data Portability; the assertion that individuals own their data and may control where, when, and how it is used. Through data portability, an individual's digital identity, evolving continuously with every interaction, is safeguarded on a decentralized network. It remains resilient against external threats and intrusions, always in the rightful owner's hands.

Data portability frees all people from platform constraints. Digital identities powered by the blockchain release the tethers that currently hold data to centralized platforms. Migrating personal data from one digital service to another will be as seamless as crossing the street.

Obfuscating the usage of personal data will also become seen as a highly unethical behavior of the past. The transparency of transactions, inherent in blockchains, eradicates clandestine data practices. Any interaction with your data becomes an open ledger entry, verifiable at any moment.

The push for data portability through the decentralized open ledger is a call to reinstate individual autonomy in our interconnected world.

The Fight for Open Standards in Emergent Tech

It's not all bad; we have made significant strides in adopting open standards. For example, GitHub has altered, enterprises’ approach to software development. Major corporations, once known for their proprietary systems, have adopted open-source product development. A prominent example is Facebook’s release of the React framework, allowing countless developers to build and monetize their work.

However, sentiment is not as clear regarding the creation of open standards in Artificial Intelligence. The dilemma of whether AI models should be open or closed presents a poignant debate. Advocates for closed models state that the unparalleled power of emergent technology could be wielded destructively if misused.

Imagine AI falling into the hands of those with malevolent intent. However, the counterargument contends that consolidating such immense power in the hands of a select few is a recipe for potential misuse. Not to mention, few systems have proven themselves completely invulnerable to outside attackers.

Open standards may be crucial. Some may argue that adopting open standards for emerging technologies is an ethical responsibility. By making the inner workings of such potent tools accessible and understandable, we ensure that as many people as possible can partake in the conversation about their applications and implications.

AI as a Public Good

Artificial Intelligence is not simply a tool; they’re public goods that have the power to shape societies, influence decision-making, and create ripple effects in the real world. We expect transparency and accountability in our water supply because of its vitality to life. We should demand the same from technologies that are rapidly becoming vital to our civilization.

Given their vast potential and reach, emerging technologies should be treated with the same scrutiny we afford to other public utilities. Ensuring their ethical and safe application begins with adopting open standards.

Open standards in AI are an essential pact between innovators and society, a commitment to ethical technological advancement. As we stand at the precipice of a new era marked by AI and emergent technologies, we must choose collaborative scrutiny over opaque development. Our collective future will likely depend on it.

Safeguarding Consumer Rights in the Age of Extrajudicial Arbitration

Mr. Jackson was accused of verbally harassing an Amazon driver via his doorbell. The driver reported Mr. Jackson, which resulted in the immediate suspension of his Echo and Prime accounts. Mr. Jackson was, without notice or recourse, locked out of his Amazon-powered smart home.

Not that it should matter, but Mr. Jackson wasn’t home. What the driver heard was the doorbell’s automated, “Excuse me, can I help you?”

What does matter is the extrajudicial practice of Amazon unilaterally locking out people based on selective judgments. We have fully entered an era where big tech wields unchecked powers over an unsuspecting populace. They can arbitrarily suspend services, deny explanation or recourse, and face no repercussions.

The erosion of consumer rights goes far beyond arbitrary lockouts. Today, every action is monitored and commodified. Every click, like, scroll, swipe, pause, comment, question, and step. The dystopian future depicted in late 20^th-century media is our reality and we are unperturbed.

Big tech has little concern for consumer rights or privacy. In 2010 Zuckerberg famously said, “that people no longer have an expectation of privacy.” Multi-billion-dollar empires have been erected by monetizing the public’s digital fragments. The path to domination has eviscerated tech’s consumer protection concerns.

These practices may all be disclosed in the terms and conditions, but who reads those? We just want to use the products!

Concerns of consumer protection are no longer only about privacy. As Mr. Jackson experienced, Big tech is imposing extrajudicial rules with intent to censor and influence behavior. The public must advocate for transparency to protect their constitutional liberty. Fortunately, the public also has tools of technology to aid in the struggle to preserve their rights.

AI: Consumer Advocate Champion

For better or worse, governmental agencies have been slow to move toward stronger consumer protection. However, we may not be completely dependent on governmental protection. The same technologies that enable unparalleled data collection also possess the potential to redefine consumer protection. AI, with its immense computational prowess, can become the ultimate consumer advocate.

AI systems can be trained to monitor fraudulent activities in real-time. They can learn from data lakes, detect anomalies, and flag suspicious activities with unparalleled accuracy. For instance, in fintech, AI has already showcased its potential to quickly detect and counteract credit card fraud.

AI can be employed to enforce consumer protection laws more effectively. Through Natural Language Processing (NLP), AI can swiftly review and analyze thousands of user agreements, terms of service, and privacy policies to ensure they are transparent, fair, and in line with legal standards.

AI enforcement of consumer protection laws can serve as an invaluable tool for regulatory bodies and consumer rights organizations by streamlining the enforcement process, ensuring that corporations remain accountable, and protecting people such as you, me, and Mr. Jackson.

Leveraging Progress to Protect Liberty

We are presented with an intricate web of challenges and opportunities in today’s winner-take-all society. An educated populace can advocate for change and use emerging technologies to advance their cause. We can effect change, even in our society today.

Advancements in technology create multi-tiered consequences. Furthermore, our response to technological advancement creates its own cascading effect of behaviors. Thinking through probable consequences and resulting behaviors may allow the public to secure greater benefits in an age of rapid technological advancement.

The internet has transformed almost every aspect of our lives, but the digital divide continues to widen the gap between the winners and losers in our society. Bridging this gap with thoughtful reforms is necessary to ensure all people have tools to thrive in this digitized world.

We’ve explored several areas where regulatory policy and enforcement have failed to protect users of technology. Questions of tech monopolies and violations of data sovereignty have existed for years. Unfortunately, ethical challenges and hurdles to protect consumers continue to mount. Perhaps, the area we’ve made the largest strides has been in open standards, but even in this area, we must be diligent to protect our liberties.

However, hope for a solution is not lost. AI offers the opportunity to strengthen consumer protections, blockchain can ensure individual data sovereignty and machine learning can be used to alert potential ethics violations. Forging innovation with a duty to regulate, protect, and refine will safeguard protective progress that respects all participants in our society and help us avoid the most undesirable dystopian futures.

Consider Skill Development

In the next article in this series, we will explore how Educational and Skill Development Policies can be influenced to better prepare the public to benefit from the advent of emerging technologies. In this future, ignorance will be far from bliss; education and skills training may be divine.

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