From Writing Assistant to Teaching Tool: My Experience, so far, Using NotebookLM

Recently, I had discussions with a couple of people about NotebookLM: our experiences of using it, and the main pros and cons that we had identified, thus far. I have captured some of my thoughts, here, and would be interested to hear about your experiences, too. NotebookLM is tool developed by Google and powered by … Continue reading From Writing Assistant to Teaching Tool: My Experience, so far, Using NotebookLM

The TFI framework: A simple socio-technical lens to assess AI initiatives

Last week, a manager reached out to me for advice on thinking through a technology project. They were being promised big efficiency gains from adopting a specific AI-based solution, but they are also committed to responsible AI adoption, and wanted a way of looking at this technology adoption decision beyond simple time or cost saving … Continue reading The TFI framework: A simple socio-technical lens to assess AI initiatives

LLMs need to be more kale

A couple of weeks ago, Gary Marcus’s newsletter flagged a company (Inqwire) that had a statement on their frontpage, stating that they do not use LLMs*, and adding that they do not pretend to be using humans when they use chatbots. Inqwire’s positioning is the complete opposite of pseudo-AI, in which companies sell certain services (e.g., … Continue reading LLMs need to be more kale

[Miscellany]: Failing to foresee the current state of AI; AI replacing vs augmenting jobs; and regulation of AI in the EU

Failing to foresee the current state of AI The last 14 months or so have seen incredible change in AI technology. AI has progressed beyond a level that many analysts thought it would take many years – or, indeed, many decades – to achieve. In this blog post, Scott Aaronson, who is a computer scientist at … Continue reading [Miscellany]: Failing to foresee the current state of AI; AI replacing vs augmenting jobs; and regulation of AI in the EU

Useful typology of the role of technology in service interactions

The paper entitled “Frontline Technology Infusion: Conceptual Archetypes and a Future Research Agenda” offers a useful typology for the role of technology in customer service. The paper was authored by Arne De Keyser, Sarah Köcher, Linda Nasr and Jay Kandampully, and the authors provide various examples of how technology may 1) have no role, 2) … Continue reading Useful typology of the role of technology in service interactions

Tech entrepreneurs and computing experts need training in social sciences

Some time ago, I was around a dinner table with some tech entrepreneurs, when I said that sociology should be a compulsory module in computer science courses, because most tech entrepreneurs and computing experts clearly lack a basic understanding of human behaviour, which creates a lot of problems for the rest of us. As you … Continue reading Tech entrepreneurs and computing experts need training in social sciences

Someone else’s reflections on my use of technology

Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post sharing some thoughts I had had (largely, of disappointment) related to my own use of technology. In that post, I noted how the iWatch had become more and more a part of my daily life; how I had mistrusted a human being for trying to bypass the … Continue reading Someone else’s reflections on my use of technology

[Miscellany] Some reflections from my use of technology

When technology works well, we don't think about it. We take it for granted. But some recent “technology failures” have led me to reflect on its role in my life, and how it impacts on how I see other human beings and the world. So much more than a watch My Apple Watch stopped working. … Continue reading [Miscellany] Some reflections from my use of technology

Seeing the smart speaker as a servant vs a master vs a partner – Why it matters

I just came across a very interesting study published in the Journal of Marketing Management, which examined how smart speaker users viewed their devices, and how that related to their experiences of using the device. The study was conducted by Fiona Schweitzer, Russell Belk, Werner Jordan and Melanie Ortner, and its title is “Servant, friend or master? … Continue reading Seeing the smart speaker as a servant vs a master vs a partner – Why it matters

On social engineering in social media platforms (or, how we are not in control)

Historian Melvin Kranzberg once wrote that: “Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral”. That is, technology (digital techology, for instance) does more than allowing users to do something; the design of that techonological product actually encourages some behaviours, while discouraging (or, at least, downplaying) others. For instance, the addition of cameras to … Continue reading On social engineering in social media platforms (or, how we are not in control)