Dear Editor,

Technology has indeed made our lives easier, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) has made it more convenient for some of us to motor our way daily.

But have we given any thought to the scenario in which the burgeoning of technology will usher in the end of the world? The movie I-Robot has shifted the curtains to give us an insight into what we should expect soon. Now that EctoLife has been conceived, we can see how technology has altered the laws of nature and removed the requirement for the males and females to generate progeny.

EctoLife will be the first artificial womb facility in the world. It will be powered by renewable energy sources and each lab will house over 400 artificial wombs, and each pod is created to match a mother’s uterus. Certainly, this will be a means of conceiving a child, especially for infertile couples. However, isn’t this going too far? Isn’t adoption still a viable option?

A news programme on Youtube revealed that Swedish people perform daily tasks utilising microchips buried beneath their skin. Is this world progressively destructing? It has undoubtedly grown worrisome. We are so engrossed in the AI world that we have forgotten that sometimes technology can be troublesome. We strive too much to act like God.

Technology is also changing the cash system. The world is becoming even more cashless, especially given the increased popularity of e-commerce. Internet shopping, bill payment, and bank transactions can all be done online. And as we grow increasingly cashless, fraudsters are more than happy to take advantage of us, as some apps and websites are not legitimate.

The recent dilemma between our golden sprint star Usain Bolt and the Stocks and Securities Limited has driven dread into people. The rise in fraudulent activities in Jamaica has been increasingly concerning, but citizens do not really have much choice as we live in the digital age, which we must embrace. Gone are the days when we would save money under our mattresses. After all, our homes are not even safe. Notwithstanding, how will higglers and market vendors manoeuvre this operation daily? Fraud and cyberattacks continue to be an issue that needs to be resolved worldwide, but unfortunately, it seems like a never-ending situation.

Concerning employment, the upsurge in technology has lowered the rate of employment. According to the World Economic Forum’s ‘The Future of Jobs Report 2020’, AI is expected to replace 85 million jobs worldwide by 2025. Can you imagine?

I recently watched a video highlighting the United States’s first-ever fully automated McDonald’s restaurant. It is rather frightening to anticipate what the world may resemble within the next decade.

Although AI will create jobs, it will be mostly technology, robotics, and/or engineering jobs, and it is not uncanny to us that a lot of people are not proficient in these areas, while other people’s passions lie elsewhere.

Technology has certainly made our lives easier, but the rapid growth and the use of technology and AI are becoming detrimental to the survival of the human race.

What will the outcome be? I wait anxiously.

Paul Gardener

Shortwood Teachers’ College

Writers Guild Club

gardenerp3@gmail.com