Powers of Division: “Smart” Spaces as Controlling Workplace Activity Fragmentation

Living with Autonomy: Public Perceptions of an AI-Mediated Future

“…AVs are currently being piloted in several cities worldwide (Salonen and Haavisto 2019; Wicki and Bernauer 2018) and the urban form may change in response to them (Millard-Ball 2018; Yigitcanlar, Wilson, and Kamruzzaman 2019). Similarly, Internet innovations and IoT (Internet of things) technology are affecting cities and communities, allowing for new forms of both work and commerce (Stiles and Andrews 2020; Yigitcanlar 2016). For example, work pods (self-contained micro-offices) and increased telecommuting make traditional offices less important while increasing the importance of public places with Internet accessibility (McLaughlin 2016; Ng 2016; Stiles and Andrews 2020).…”

“…Similarly, Internet innovations and IoT (Internet of things) technology are affecting cities and communities, allowing for new forms of both work and commerce (Stiles and Andrews 2020; Yigitcanlar 2016). For example, work pods (self-contained micro-offices) and increased telecommuting make traditional offices less important while increasing the importance of public places with Internet accessibility (McLaughlin 2016; Ng 2016; Stiles and Andrews 2020). Combined, emerging technologies may lead to social changes, by facilitating new ways of communicating and interacting with others, as they often have in the past (Castells 2015).…”

“…The future of work and life may be increasingly connected, as people are choosing to work from cafes, parks, and other public spaces, so long as they have Internet access (McLaughlin 2016; Ng 2016; Stiles and Andrews 2020). This “smart public” may become an integral part of the urban form, and AI-enabled technologies may increase its usefulness and efficacy even more so.…”

“…Demographics also appears to affect a person’s perception; a similar study to this one, conducted in Taiwan, found that both gender and experience with technology are major contributors to how people perceive AI in smart places (Chen and Lee 2019). The largest difference, however, are the physical spaces that have to change to accommodate these technologies (Stiles and Andrews 2020; Yigitcanlar 2016), and importantly, who controls said spaces (Huang and Franck 2018): domotics function in the home, and thus an individual will have the choice as to whether or not to allow an AI into their personal lives there. However, work, and especially public AIs, will not (assumedly) require consent from an individual to interact with them or gather data, this invasion of privacy can put people at risk (Tekeoglu and Tosun 2015).…”