Our future beyond algorithms, data, and code

By Theodora Lau & Bradley Leimer

Our future beyond algorithms, data, and code

Where do we as humans end and where does the code surrounding us begin? When algorithms decide how we experience the news, suggest who we connect with on social networks, and recommend what we should buy – what does it really mean to be human – to make our own decisions and to experience the serendipity of our reason? How much of every decision is really our own? How well do we know the complexity of our own code – versus how well do external algorithms know who we really are? This is an equally precarious and fascinating time we live in.

When all our actions are tracked and our worth is calculated based on our digital footprint; when humanity is reduced to data points and optimized not for our own well-being but for corporate wealth; when the purpose for a company is no longer what it provides for its customers but profits for shareholders; when the figure becomes the ground– borrowing a phrase from “Team Human” – what happens to us as a civilization? Where are we headed next?

In a world of algorithms and hashtags, true human connectivity is too often replaced by clicks. Our interactions and conversations are interrupted by digital notifications that long for our attention. Phone calls are replaced by messages on our friends’ digital walls and feeds; face-to-face coffee breaks yield to likes and retweets. Instead of being alone in our own thoughts, our free time is now filled with a constant stream of digital content; our consciousness preoccupied every moment we are awake. The very technology that is meant to bring us closer together is tearing us apart, taking our attention away from what matters most, enveloping us in our own virtual bubble, eternally connected yet truly oblivious to the outside world.

How often are we looking up, instead of looking down – at our phones, our laptops, our feeds? What happens to our dreams when technology envelopes all of our time? How much can we really enjoy the moment and be one with our surroundings when we are busy snapping photos for Instagram? Just observe how eager a little child tries to get their parents’ phone – the very device that competes for their parents’ focus. Are they equally seeking their parents’ attention as they are the lure and charm of the device itself? How are we impacting their future?

What then is a true human connection? When AI writes our emails; when chatbots guides our calls – how much is authenticity worth? While digital transformation carries tremendous benefits, perhaps genuine connectivity – the artistry of empathy – is striking a balance between the cadence of our machines and that of human touch.

And if we are willing to slow down for a moment, take a break from our digital lives, and refocus, we might discover our roots and our priorities once again – and realize that we have more in common than we are led to believe. After all, the time that we share with each other should not be limited by 280 characters or the glow of light from an endless scrolling feed.

This is the future we must aspire to in order to reestablish our connection to one another. There is a future filled with hope for all of us, and for all of team human – if we are willing.

“While our minds may be determined to win our agenda, our hearts just want to win over the other person. If we’re capable of engaging in a genuine conversation, our common agenda as humans far outweighs the political platforms we’ve signed onto. This is not weakness, but strength.”

~ Douglas Rushkoff, Author of Team Human

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