In Media studies, agency refers to the level of human autonomy available in an increasingly technological world. As discussed in class, human and technological agency in a digital world is, in reality, conjoined. Meaning, the technology is reliant on human agency to make meaning while human agency is also manipulated by that meaning. According to a 2018 Pew Research study, there is a growing fear in the general public of losing jobs, knowledge, and control to AI. This fear has led to an increase in cybersecurity firms to prevent the use of weaponized information in AI for social or political gain. Bart Knijnenburg, assistant professor of computer science, combats this fear by reassuring that AI control will come down to intention. Although AI has the potential for serious ramifications against control, it is dependent on “how it’s implemented”. For example, Knijnenburg suggests that if algorithms and digital infrastructures can support and enhance decision-making processes, we will maintain agency. However, if developers continue this “filter-bubble” practice, we have less agency over the content we see.
References:
Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2019, December 31). 1. concerns about human agency, Evolution and Survival. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/12/10/concerns-about-human-agency-evolution-and-survival/.
I agree that human and technological agency is conjoined in the digital world both in real life and the digital world. Human evolution and development cannot be separated from technology. Technology will be meaningless without humans since it depends on human agency. Humans create these technologies and let them become part of our life. However, technology replacing humans is a question we need to think about in our contemporary society. AI reduces the need for human agency. I like the example of how to implement Al by reducing the agency we see. It is interesting to see the development of the relationship between humans and technology.