Exactly 10 years ago, we showed the film Plug & Pray for the first time as part of the Fab Lectures. At the time, Niels wrote, "There are indications that we will experience an enormous new wave of automation in the next 15 years. " We can now see this wave clearly – 10 years later. A good reason to show the film again and discuss it. Technology journalist and author Niels Boeing will introduce the topic and then discuss it with you.
Seventy years ago, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) research was launched at the Dartmouth Conference in the USA. Many of the initial ideas for making machines intelligent turned out to be nonsensical, too short-sighted. But in the last 30 years, the field has made enormous strides. AI algorithms now control self-driving cars, data analysis and robot prototypes.
There are indications that we will experience a huge new wave of automation in the next five years. This time, it will not be factory work that will be affected, but intellectual and creative work in business shirts and T-shirts. In return, it is said, we will gain more leisure time, more comfort in everyday life and other jobs.
At the end of the noughties, filmmaker Jens Schanze accompanied some of the brightest minds in the broad field of AI research: the optimists, the technology enthusiasts, the cautious – and the great Joseph Weizenbaum, who had been tirelessly warning since the 1970s against taking digitalisation and AI lightly. We highly recommend this film! Afterwards, feel free to discuss it over a beer.
