Interstellar and 2001: A Space Odyssey are both about how humanity uses AI as tools, to our benefit and our detriment. Interstellar views its AI, TARS, as a helpful companion. It is personified consistently, even able to have its “humor level” adjusted by the main character, cooper. Cooper talks to TARS like a fellow astronaut and human with a warm tone and quipping jokes. At no point does the robot attempt to rebel or murder its human operators. In fact, multiple times does TARS explicitly state it is not able to disobey orders. It is a completely subservient operating machine that assists in saving humanity by transmitting the needed black hole data that would allow humanity to immigrate off the climate change decimated earth. In short, Christopher Nolan believes we will be able to control our technological advancements without fear. On the other hand, 2001 presents a more cynical view of AI. A Space Odyssey’s AI, HAL, is treated very differently. Throughout the film, the astronaut, Dave, orders the AI to complete tasks with no warmth or compassion. Clearly Dave views HAL as only a cold, calculating machine with no hint of a personality or soul. Dave is proven very incorrect because HAL kills his fellow humans as well as attempting to take Dave’s life. Stanley Kubrick uses these actions of HAL to work out a fear of AI being able to make its own decisions with malice. His cynical view asserts that AI may become smarter than its human creators and will not value human life. Interstellar is a unique case of hope and technology. It addresses our current crisis of technology induced climate change with a fictional famine due to over farming while TARS is what saves humanity. Christopher Nolan understands that while we used technology to create a problem, we will need advanced technology like AI to continue forward.
Author: granwil
What the Cahokia AR app does well is help visualize what the historical sites would have appeared as during the time they were in use by the native Americans due to extensive historical research by experts. Not only does it provide renders of the interiors in use, but it provides historical context such as who used these sites, for what purposes were these sites used, etc. By creating 3D visualizations of the sites restored, visitors have a tangible understanding of the site’s importance to the Cahokia tribe. Having a digital app that anyone can use outside of the physical sites allows for those who physically cannot make it to the mounds in person. The app can also help whoever may be unable to traverse the hills or mounds or the long trails on site. For example, individuals with physical disabilities unable to walk or require assistance would be affected. Smartphones and touchscreens require sight to access unless apps offer features to assist. If the app does not offer such features, people with limited or no sight would be unable to properly use the app. The app does have some audio features that allow such groups to utilize. Making this information more accessible to everyone gives the public a better understanding and appreciation for the land we all share and inhabit.
When I created the star, I tried to change the color of the star. Once I found the change color button, it was a matter of where to put it to change the color. I simply used the process of elimination until putting the button after the running stitch button finally changed the color of the star. I just made the example star.
- What accessibility issues crop up for the page you chose? I chose the main page for the SIUE Mass Communications Department. The only errors I encountered after running the page through WAVE were three empty headings with no context.
- Who is most likely to need the content on the page? Anyone interested in joining the Mass Communications Department. Anyone who cannot physically come to the university for information.
- How might the accessibility issues impede people’s access to the content? Who might be most impacted? The headings without information may hinder people who cannot understand the information displayed in different ways.
- Name one or two ways that the accessibility of the site could be improved – the smaller and easier, the better! By adding more information in those headings, people would have more information to understand what the Mass Communications Department offers.
In week 14, civic technology sounds quite intriguing to me. One side effect of the internet is having a visceral understanding of the problems of our present. While technology offers an endless list of comforts, entertainment, and benefits, learning how technology can be used for change, even on local levels, is exciting and comforting. The assignment on reviewing AI fiction also sounds interesting and up my alley. Being a fan of all media, viewing different individuals’ imaginations on future technologies is always intriguing. Engaging with cultural conversation with these fictions gives way to our concerns of future technologies. Who will innovate, who will it be innovated for, who will oversee keeping future technology in our best interests. etc. As the semester continues, dipping into topics like how technology can aid developing solutions to problems like wealth inequality, climate change, and others could be interesting. Basically, how can we as a society maximize the productivity of technology rather than simply for the use of comfort and ease.
My Active Platforms
- X/Formerly Known As Twitter: The communities I listen to are mostly pop culture/movie/TV show related. I love movies so my following page is built around movie discourse of all kinds with news of coming soon movies. I do not post my own tweets very frequently, when I do, they are more interest related than personal. I don’t tweet about myself personally due to uncomfortability.
Things to know about me: i love reading, watching movies, TV. I enjoy the outdoors and traveling. When I travel, I am more of a city person than rural person. My favorite cities I have traveled to are Chicago and New York City.
I have a photo of the NYC skyline when I visited, but I could not find it.