The Vulnerabilities of Technology
-by Phyllis Davis
In the not-so-distant future, you might find yourself walking into an office where your coworker is an AI-powered robot wearing a bowtie, your manager is a sophisticated algorithm that hums, “New York, New York,” and your job description is constantly evolving to keep up with technological advancements.
Learn about the vulnerabilities of technology we face now and in the future. Less transparency and complexity are combinations for disaster.
I may not be telling you something you already know, but let us dive deeper into the radical transformation of business that will evolve in 2025 and beyond, with automation and artificial intelligence reshaping entire industries and redefining the nature of work. We already see self-driving vehicles replacing human drivers and AI-powered chatbots overseeing customer service inquiries (ugh), and the possibilities seem endless.
As an Ethics and Etiquette Expert for 40 years, I have dealt with technology issues in my consulting practice. I understand the difficulties of balancing technology and its algorithms and its role in protecting intellectual property and trade secrets, employee and customer privacy measures, salaries and bonuses within a company, and much more.
Phyllis Davis, Author, Navigating Virtue, Ethics and Etiquette in American Business – Grand Lobby – Jefferson Hotel – Richmond, Virginia
My story with technology: Those of us who jumped into the early tech era all have one or two (or more) stories we share with big smiles on our faces at gatherings about our first home computer. In 1986, I owned a clunky contraption that barely passed as a computer. It was more like an unsightly typewriter with a black and white monitor and typewriter ribbons that typed out a page. Fast forward three years later to February 1989, just a month after desktop computers officially hit the shelves at Circuit City. I found myself in Chicago, hailing a cab with unabashed excitement to purchase my inaugural computer. The haul included a substantial computer in a case, keyboard, mouse, and monitor, all squeezed into the taxi for the return trip to my hotel on La Salle. If I recall correctly, it was about $1,200. Within a mere hour, I had everything set up, solo. I eagerly inserted 8 or 10 Compaq floppy disks, awaiting the long, distinctive screech from the speakers (I always called this distinctive squeal Mother’s Milk) as I connected to the vast realm of the Internet (well, vast is an exaggeration, it was “iffy” at best). To put my new computer to the test, I vividly recall searching for a recipe for Beef Wellington. The magic unfolded – I was officially online. From that enchanting day forward, my life took a thrilling turn, forever altered by the wonders of technology.
Let us face it: Early computer days seem so innocent compared to the global network that connects us all today. We stand on the precipice of yet another technological revolution on a much larger scale than the one we have seen over the past thirty-five years.
Phyllis Davis, Grand Hall- Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Virginia
The question looms large: Is your job next on the chopping block? The rapid pace of innovation has blurred the lines between human and machine capabilities, with AI systems now capable of performing tasks once thought to be the exclusive domain of human intelligence. From creative writing to complex data analysis, from medical diagnoses to legal research, from food farming to your fork, no profession (including major facets of entertainment and performance art) seems entirely immune to the encroachment of technology. The workplace of tomorrow promises increased efficiency and productivity, but it also brings with it a host of new vulnerabilities and challenges that we must confront head-on:
• Data privacy and security concerns: “Is nothing private anymore?” As businesses collect and store vast amounts of customer and employee data, there are increased risks of data breaches, unauthorized access, and misuse of personal information (not to mention leaks of confidential information).
• Algorithmic bias and discrimination: “A machine with biases?” This is a severe breach because machine learning algorithms are used for decision-making and can perpetuate or amplify existing biases, leading to unfair treatment of certain groups, nationalities, genders, ages, socio-economic statuses, and cultures.
• Employee monitoring and surveillance: “Is Big Brother looking over my shoulder?” Technology enables extensive monitoring of employee activities, raising concerns about privacy rights and creating an atmosphere of distrust and lack of open sharing for fear of reprisal.
• Blurring work-life boundaries: “Is my life monitored 24/7?” Portable devices and constant connectivity have extended the workday, potentially infringing on employees’ time and well-being.
• Misuse of company resources: “I can’t use my technology to send an email to my own mother?” Employees may be tempted to use company-provided technology for personal purposes, creating ethical dilemmas around using cell phones and laptops appropriately.
• Autonomous technology risks: “Honey, there is a drone outside our bedroom window.” Deployed self-driving vehicles, drones, and other autonomous systems raise questions about accountability, safety, and oversight.
• Job displacement: “AI just took my job as a medical transcriber!” Automation and AI technologies threaten to eliminate specific jobs, creating ethical concerns about workforce impacts. One day soon, AI is predicted to create jobs, not usurp them, but that day is not here, yet.
• Lack of transparency: “Tell me again, why can’t I see a spreadsheet for budgets?” Complex algorithms and AI systems can be opaque in their decision-making processes. This makes ensuring fairness and accountability regarding financial allocations, training and marketing budgets, entire bookkeeping departments, overtime pay and reward systems, and pay scales difficult.
• Information manipulation: “Susan, let’s go on a romantic bike ride through the Swiss Alps.” Social media and digital platforms can spread misinformation or manipulate public opinion about people, brands, and promises. Fragrance ads are popular during the holiday season. They depict elegant women in diaphanous evening gowns enjoying a privileged life while wearing diamonds. They suggest that people will also experience a gracious life if they wear a particular fragrance; it is pure manipulation.
These vulnerabilities highlight the need for businesses to carefully consider the ethical implications of new technologies and implement robust governance frameworks to ensure responsible development and use.
Phyllis Davis – Author – Navigating Virtue – Ethics and Etiquette in the American Business Landscape
