Greg Laden is a blogger, writer and independent scholar who occassionally teaches. He has a PhD from Harvard in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology, as well as a Masters Degree in the same subjects. He is a biological anthropologist, but for many years before going to graduate school to study human evolution, he did archaeology in North America. He thinks of himself as a biologist who focuses on humans (past and present) and who uses archaeology as one of the tools of the trade. Greg blogs regularly on ScienceBlogs at http://www.scienceblogs.com/gregladen/.
Dr. Joseph J. Salvo attended Phillips Andover Academy, received his A.B. degree from Harvard University and his Master and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University. Dr. Salvo joined the GE Global Research Center in 1988. His early work focused on the development of genetically modified bacteria and fungus, for the production of novel high performance polymers. In the mid 1990's he turned his group's efforts towards developing large-scale internet-based sensing arrays to manage and oversee
business systems. Most recently, he and his team have developed a number of complex decision engines that deliver customer value through system transparency and knowledge-based computational algorithms. Commercial business implementations of his work are currently active in Europe, and Asia as well as North and South America.
Dr. Peter Tu received his undergraduate degree in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada, and his doctorate from Oxford University England.
In 1997, he joined the Visualization and Computer Vision Group at the GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna, NY. He has developed algorithms for the FBI Automatic Fingerprint Identification System. He is the principle investigator for the ReFace program, which has the goal of automatically computing the appearance of a person’s face from skeletal remains. Dr. Tu has also developed a number of algorithms for the precise measurement of specular and high curvature objects. His current focus is the development of intelligent video algorithms for surveillance applications.
This is a summary of a paper that explores, in great depth and detail, the role of technologies that use digitally managed personal information to shape the content and direct the delivery of content in a journalistic setting. The most important conclusions of this paper are: New technologies obviate the media but not the journalist or the receiver of the information; and this ... the use of your private electronic information to determine what part of Cyberspace you will experience and how ... is inevitable.
A presumption of this paper is that the technology of using private individual data (your personal "digital identity") for pushing information has certain possibilities, and those possibilities will be realized regardless of what anyone thinks should or should not happen. The analogy of nuclear technologies (peaceful energy vs. bombs) is invoked not just as a metaphor but as a model:
Attempts to defend the Internet against ISPs that profile customers by 'snooping' echoes similar attempts by the scientific pioneers of nuclear energy, following Hiroshima, to control and limit the use of nuclear energy to the peaceful service of humanity.The issue involves trade-offs between privacy and security, between privacy and convenience, and between privacy and business opportunities. The actors include isolated hackers and criminal networks, respectable companies pursuing market-driven business trends, and NGOs.
The paper asserts that the essence of journalism (as usually defined by journalists or journalist think tanks) is retained even if the media itself is taken out of the picture and the relationship between the producers of "journalism" and the consumers (who are "digital identities" is maintained.
...it can be constructive to look for a new short definition of 'journalism', separating it from 'the media'. Such a definition should connect to the principles of journalism, and be based on the relation between journalism and its audience, rather than on its relation to the medium it uses for communicating with the audience (which is what is causing the confusion today).
Technology including and beyond Web 2.0 and/or the Semantic Web have modified the relationship between journalists and the recipient of the content through myriad technologies including social networking, content based image and video retrieval, image coding (so pictures can be searched), content analysis, and so on. The paper seems to imply that what started out as an effort at automation has given rise to an incipient self organizing creative capacity.
Central to all of this is the concept of "Digital Identity" to which content is pushed using information about that identity. This applies not just to journalism, but to society and government as well.
An additional aspect concerning the digital identity is the rapid transition to an electronic government where communication between citizen and government is electronic, through the Internet. Many countries have passed laws that compel change to a "paperless government" in which all services are provided through the web. In October 1998 the Government Paperwork Elimination Act came into effect in the United States; it induces all the authorities to develop or purchase information technologies as a substitute for paper within five years.Transition of organizations to Cyberspace and the creation of huge amounts of digital data calls for a shift to new models of decision making in many areas previously governed by the human intelligence knowledge and intuition, for all their advantages and disadvantages.
So the role of AI in journalism will be, according to this paper, as follows:
AI engines will be used by media companies to search customers for content interests, automatically. Dependence on gaining measurable consumer attention can be expected to induce journalists in all media platforms to adjust content to maximize consumer attention and advertising dollars. New business models will be needed to reduce the intrinsic risk to journalistic freedom that the new methods will induce.
What seems to be missing here is that with a full manifestation of "digital identity" and an AI interaface to the population of digital identities, the journalists themselves will be pretty much obviated, as long as the web is free and the OpenSource movement is not squished.
And thus arrives the citizen journalist. I don't think even the bloggers have a chance...
Latar, Noam, & Nordfors, David (2009). Digital Identities and: Journalism Content How Artificial Intelligence and Journalism May Co-Develop and Why Society Should Care
The Innovation Journalism Publication Series, 6 (7)
Information Science
Technology
Comments
This seems a terrible consequence imo.
It will result in ppl more and more getting more and more of the same things they already know about and interests them, narrowing their viewpoint.
Posted by: Jerry | November 29, 2009 9:01 PM | Reply
Kicking in the heads of atheists one at a time...
http://nostradamus-america.atspace.com/
PZ, I thought the Morris Police Department was going to save you from the wrath of God...
Posted by: drmabus2006 | November 30, 2009 7:33 AM | Reply
Cultural fractionation started with satellite television. Immigrants can access their home country's news & entertainment (is there a difference?) via sat tv and have that programming define their within-home culture. The effect is a dilution of culture ultimately leading to "monoculture."
The same is happening with the internet and 'so called' news. We can read what we want, when we want, and exclude what we want. This leads to less commonality of thought, perception, and desire; less unity, more diversity and potentially, greater global homogeneity, and ultimately less conflict. Perhaps tribalism and nationalism will fade as well.
Posted by: kleles | December 4, 2009 9:24 PM | Reply
Experts have talked about this before. How many times have you read about the importance of ‘adding value’ for your audience? How many times have you read about ‘building trust’ with your readers/prospects?
Many, many times. You know it well. Every marketing guru has spoken about this topic. I’m sick of hearing it. But it STILL bears repeating.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Posted by: somaie | December 27, 2009 5:35 AM | Reply
Experts have talked about this before. How many times have you read about the importance of ‘adding value’ for your audience? How many times have you read about ‘building trust’ with your readers/prospects?
Many, many times. You know it well. Every marketing guru has spoken about this topic. I’m sick of hearing it. But it STILL bears repeating.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Posted by: somaie | December 27, 2009 5:37 AM | Reply