Part 1

After reviewing the Center for Humane Technology’s webpage, I would describe their mission as one to raise awareness about the risks of technology and push for change so that these tools are designed to help people rather than exploit them.

I found their mission meaningful and necessary, especially given how deeply technology has become integrated in everyday life. Pushing for safer and more ethical design can help mitigate harm and inform us how to regulate and use technology responsibly. 

Part 2

I think CHT’s analysis of social media is pretty accurate. I wasn’t completely surprised because a lot of us already know social media is addictive, but I found the information interesting nonetheless, for instance, the section about notifications, endless scrolling, and social comparison. It discussed how these features are designed to keep us hooked, drain our energy, and affect our emotions, which makes it harder to break away from them.

I’ve noticed a lot of changes in social media over the past year or so. One big example that comes to mind is Twitter removing content restrictions and reinstating previously banned accounts. I’ve also seen more platforms integrating AI tools; Facebook now summarizes entire comment sections so you don’t have to scroll, and TikTok lets creators use AI to generate images and videos.

Part 3 

I’d say CHT’s perspective on AI is pretty reasonable. It highlighted many valid points, all of which I agree with. In ‘Loss of Control’, it discusses how AI is “trained” rather than programmed, so it’s harder to predict or guarantee how it will behave. That is honestly concerning, especially as AI is being integrated into areas like healthcare, finance, and military systems. 

In the “Work, Dignity, and Meaning” section, CHT explains how AI could replace human labor to cut costs, which risks stripping away the dignity and purpose people often find in their work. I agree this is a serious issue because for many of us, our jobs are tied not just to income but also to our identity and sense of community. However, it could also be argued that while AI will change how we work, it doesn’t necessarily mean meaningful work will disappear. If you look back at history, every major technological shift (industrial revolution, computers, the internet) likely brought similar fears. While some jobs did disappear, new roles and industries were created, many that no one could have predicted at the time. So my point is that the same could happen with AI, and instead of focusing only on what it could take away, we could also consider the opportunities it could create.

Part 4 

The podcast about AI was very interesting, but I also felt uneasy with the examples power-seeking and blackmailing. The drone scenario left an impression on me because it showed how self preserving incentives could push an AI to ignore commands. This sounded like an actual realistic scenario that could happen, considering that drones are already being used in the military. I also wanted to discuss Tristan’s analogy comparing advanced AI to a “400 IQ sociopath” with a criminal record and how companies feel pressured to hire these unpredictable systems because they fear competitors will do it first; this was a very concerning point. Overall, the podcast was eye-opening and made me think more seriously about the risks AI could pose if not carefully managed. (On a side note, after listening to the podcast, I am definitely going to check out their documentary on Netflix.)

Part 5

After reading through the material, we have learned that AI is becoming deeply integrated into people’s lives and relationships, and has the ability to communicate conversationally and provide information quickly. Because of this, one positive impact AI could have on social work services is through chatbots that offer 24/7 support; these kinds of tools could give clients basic information, referrals, or crisis resources at any time. This would definitely make services more accessible.

On an individual level, when thinking about tasks like case management, resource coordination, and paperwork, AI tools could help reduce caseload. Doing so would allow social workers to spend more time building relationships with clients and less time on administrative work, and also reduce burn out.