Lecture Discussion Questions: Solutionism
The following discussion questions are based on todays readings / videos:
- Benjamin, Ruha (2019). Chapter 4. Technological Benevolence. Race After Technology.
- Open AI Marketing Video (3 minutes)
- Will A.G.I. Save the World? Evgeny Morozov (watch the first 30 minutes)
Ruha Benjamin: Chapter 14
From the discussion forum
Many new technologies have emerged that claim to mitigate human bias. However, Benjamin shows us (on pp. 140-143 and elsewhere) how these supposedly more objective technologies can and do still discriminate (and sometimes make things worse). For this discussion forum, answer the following 3 questions:
- Describe the problem HireVue was trying to solve
- What ended up happening and why?
- Even though HireVue failed, do you think that it’s possible for AI to be used to inform more just and fair decisions? Please explain.
Other Questions
- What is technological benevolence?
- Benjamin discusses this Silicon Valley parody as an example of how words like “customization”, “personalization,” and “individualization” can mask the bigger picture (surveillance, putting people into marketing categories and either giving or withholding resources based on them).
- In your view, do you agree that these “innovations” are actually more constraining? Why or why not?
- What are “race corrections” in technologies, and how are they made to seem neutral?
Open AI Promotional Video
- What were your impressions of the video?
- How was AI protrayed? What symbols, signs, and imagery were used?
- Does this video have an ideology?
- How did it make you feel?
- Take a look at this blog post. What do you think the implications of this (allegedly) misleading marketing might be for a general audience?
- What role does marketing and advertising have on our understanding of what these technologies are capable of?
Note: This Open AI video while it was still a non-profit (and well before ChatGPT was released).
Morozov Interview
From the discussion forum
- Early rhetoric around ChatGPT was apocalyptic. According to Morozov, how did the doomsday characterization of ChatGPT benefit tech companies?
- Around minute 6-7, Morozov notes that “there are a lot of things to fear, but they aren’t necessarily the fears that the tech industry is promoting and spreading.” What is Morozov afraid of? Do you agree or disgree?
Other Questions
- What is the idea of technological solutionism?
- Give some examples of “solutionism” from the readings (either from Morozov or from the Benjamin)
Activity: Solutionism “in the Wild”
As a though experiment, it’s useful to think about what problems technology can actually solve, and what is best addressed through other means. Given this, let’s try the following exercise.
- Pick one of the following problem domains:
- The environment
- Public education
- Healthcare
- Law enforcement
- Disaster response
- For the problem space you chose, what are some challenges that this area faces?
- See if you can think of some technologies (broadly defined as apps, policies, programs, systems, etc.) that have been created to address some of the problems you just named.
- Are these technologies solutionist? What do you think Morozov or Benjamin might think?
- Discuss what you think a “non-solutionist” approach would be?
- See if you can think about a potential technological intervention that doesn’t fall into the traps of solutionism.