‘We are watching as AI renders people irrelevant’ Premium
The Hindu
Usha Ramanathan says that she is a tech skeptic. “As a skeptic, I will question everything that comes,” says the human rights activist, who works on the jurisprudence of law, poverty, and rights. “It doesn’t mean that I will reject it, but I will not accept it until I question,” says Ms. Ramanathan, who has extensively engaged with issues around technology and the human conditions of freedom and liberty over the years.
Usha Ramanathan says that she is a tech skeptic. “As a skeptic, I will question everything that comes,” says the human rights activist, who works on the jurisprudence of law, poverty, and rights. “It doesn’t mean that I will reject it, but I will not accept it until I question,” says Ms. Ramanathan, who has extensively engaged with issues around technology and the human conditions of freedom and liberty over the years.
People have become the subject of technology, today, she adds. “It has become the new faith, and you need to worship it without question,” she says. “If you don’t follow it out of adoration, then you follow it out of fear,” believes Ms. Ramanathan, who does not own a mobile phone even today, claiming that she has never seen a need for one. “I like a certain mental space and this takes away from this,” she says.
Ms. Ramanathan, who recently delivered a talk titled A Philosophy for Technology at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bengaluru, offers insights into why the ubiquitousness of technology is problematic, the issues associated with the Indian national ID project, and why artificial intelligence is one of our most dangerous innovations to date.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”