Why Can't I Stop Scrolling?!?!

In the last post I encouraged folks to assess their phone use with a funny (but effective) metric  - are you using your phone or is your phone using you? 

An important component of that test (and the broader conversation of screen addiction) is understanding the INTELLIGENCE of your devices - if your goal is to not get used by your phone, you should know what you’re up against. 

In 1997, IBM built a machine nicknamed Deep Blue - the first chess-playing computer to win a match against a reigning World Champion. Deep Blue was capable of evaluating 200 million (yes, 200 million) chess positions per second and is one of the most popularized examples of Explainable AI. 

Its engineers outfitted it with a library of Bayesian Networks, more commonly referred to as decision trees. These networks used probability theory and a host of other mathematical systems to decide the best move. Deep Blue could not only compute the game map and hundreds of millions of chess positions, but could make decisions based on potential future consequences - all at a higher level than its programmers. 

That was 25 years ago. 

As the world has evolved, the use of similar AI technology has been integrated into the modern everyday experience - digital assistants like Alexa, online shopping, “smart replies”, auto-fill, video games, ride-sharing apps, etc etc etc.

To bring this back to you and your screen time, what was used to take Garry Kasparov’s king in 1997 has also been morphed into technology that USES you - gluing your eyeballs to a screen, baiting you to click and scroll, and taking your money. 

This is not a knock on the advancement of technology, AI, or anything of the like - look at modern healthcare for countless examples of AI being used for life-saving/improving technology.  

It is merely a reminder to be aware of the fact that every time you open your web browser or your social media feed, your experience is often being curated by an intelligence that far exceeds yours, mine, or Kasparov’s. 

Recognize the times when you’ve been beaten, admit when you’re outmatched (you’re outmatched), and adjust your use and consumption accordingly. 

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” - Sun Tzu