In this expert session, Michell Zappa delves into the profound impact of information technology's exponential growth on society. He elucidates on Gordon Moore's observation in the late 1960s that processing power and storage increase at a faster rate than their cost decreases, leading to transformative changes across diverse sectors. Michell uses relatable examples such as YouTube, cars, and elevators to illustrate unintended consequences, both positive and negative, of technology's influence on our lives and environment.
Michell underscores the significance of acknowledging these externalities while designing and scaling new technologies. He then challenges participants with an exercise, asking them to ponder potential outcomes if augmented reality glasses became ubiquitous, focusing on aspects of life that could be affected.
Throughout the session, Michell reiterates the importance of recognizing the disparity between our expectations of a linear world and technology's exponential change. He also expresses concerns about the balance between virtual and reality in technology. Michell raises questions regarding issues like bullying, privacy, distractions, and creativity within virtual spaces.
Michell discusses the challenges of creating less intrusive devices and cites Google Glass as an example of a failed attempt. He explores how immersive technologies could impact our lives, causing potential cyberbullying or the loss of youth in virtual worlds. Michell encourages finding a balance between these emerging technologies and reality.
Additionally, Michell introduces combinatorial evolution, where solutions to new problems arise by combining existing tools creatively. Using the example of a smartphone, he explains that it is made up of various underlying technologies. This concept, Michell emphasizes, is applicable across all technology sectors.
Furthermore, Michell discusses the relationship between science fiction and science fact. He believes imagination plays a vital role in innovation and every technology originates as an idea but not every idea becomes a technology. He quotes Arthur C. Clarke's famous statement that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
The session concludes with Michell sharing the concept of estimating technology maturity or readiness levels (TRL). TRL helps organizations determine a technology's development stage, enabling the creation of systems based on existing technologies. Michell explains that some technologies progress rapidly, while others take longer and encourages continuous tracking for potential investments.
