AI and the resurrection of Technological Determinism

Abstract

This paper elaborates on the connection between the AI regulation fever and the generic concept of Social Control of Technology. According to this analysis, the amplitude of the regulatory efforts may reflect the lock-in potential of the technology in question. Technological lock-in refers to the ability of a limited set of actors to force subsequent generations onto a certain technological trajectory, hence evoking a new interpretation of Technological Determinism. The nature of digital machines amplifies their lock-in potential as the multiplication and reuse of such technology is typically almost cost-free. I sketch out how AI takes this to a new level because it can be software and an autonomous agent simultaneously.

Positive Determinism of Twitter Usage Development in Crisis Communication: Rescue and Relief Efforts after the 6 February 2023 Earthquake in Türkiye as a Case Study

“…As a reductionist theory, technological determinism claims that a society's technological progress is guided by its internal efficiency logic, which determines the molding of social structures and cultural values (Héder 2021). According to this perspective, technology influences civilizations and cultures by significantly affecting human behaviors and social structures.…”

“…These systems can rapidly scan and interpret real-time data, offering useful insights and trends that assist crisis communication teams in understanding the severity and effect of the issue (Darbinyan 2023). Héder (2021) examines how AI may affect the idea of technological determinism. It examines the relationship between AI regulation and the idea of the social control of technology, making the case that the degree of regulatory activity may be a good indicator of technology's potential for lock-in, which has an impact on technological determinism.…”

Current issues and future directions in engineering ethics education

“…The BME course on the ethics of AI is more focused. For instance, it looks at technological lock-in and, to some extent, technological determinism vs. social control (Héder 2021); the more epistemological issue of explainability (Héder 2023) and transparency; the responsibility gap and the bystander effect, exemplified through Peter Singer's work (Singer 2016); and the bias and/or fairness of algorithms, supported by Justice as Fairness by John Rawls (Rawls 2001). Social contract theory is also covered here in the context of whether new technologies require new social contracts and how these should be constructed.…”

A perspective on the European Health Data Space

“…The patient's right to digital self-determination Cingolani et al (2023, 5) argue that "the implementation of AI [artificial intelligence] must be accompanied by careful reflection on the part of the legislator to ensure that the rights of citizens and patients are truly protected. For example, there is the question of consent to the processing of personal health data by artificial intelligence systems" (see also Héder 2021). Normally, governments and firms make use of artificial intelligence in processing big data.…”