The hottest Technology impact Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

✅ The attention economy

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Public Relations Marketing Consumer behavior Technology impact Corporate Governance
  1. People's attention spans are getting shorter, which affects both individuals and society as a whole. This lack of focus makes it harder to tackle big issues like climate change.
  2. There are many reasons for our diminishing attention spans, including diet, sleep, pollution, and social issues. Technology and social media are major contributors to this problem.
  3. Living without the internet can help rebuild attention. The book encourages taking steps towards improving focus for personal and societal benefit, without giving simple solutions.

Turn-taking in the age of Zoom

The Counterfactual • 139 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🎭️ Culture Communication Language Social norms Technology impact Human behavior
  1. Turn-taking is a key part of human conversation, where one person speaks and then the other responds. This has been observed even in some animals, showing that it's a long-established communication behavior.
  2. Studies show that conversation timing is mostly consistent across different languages, with an average pause of about 208 milliseconds between turns. This quick exchange helps keep conversations flowing smoothly.
  3. Zoom and similar video call platforms can disrupt the natural rhythm of conversations, leading to longer pauses and more frustration. This change might affect how we communicate in the long term as remote communication becomes more common.

Why A.I. Won’t Make Us Dumb

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 06 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Coding Humanities Technology impact Future of AI
  1. The assumption that AI will make us dumb is based on a simplistic view of human behavior resembling coding logic, but humans are complex and creative beings.
  2. Technological advancements like AI are more likely to augment our capabilities rather than diminish them over time, allowing for new forms of learning and creativity.
  3. Humanity's diversity, creativity, opinions, and resistance to conformity make it unlikely that we will completely submit to AI, preserving our autonomy and individuality.

My Vapid Generation

Castalia • 139 implied HN points • 15 Nov 22
🎭️ Culture Technology impact Social Commentary Media influence Cultural critique
  1. The internet changed how we communicate and share information, making it hard to escape its influence. People became obsessed with social media and online status, which reshaped our values and interactions.
  2. My generation was the first to really fall for these new technologies, often being too trusting and optimistic about their impact. As a result, we ended up being perfect subjects for this digital experiment.
  3. Looking back, we realize our lack of interest in history and important issues made us complacent. This led to an era where our choices and behaviors contributed to our own troubles in the digital world.
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The possibility that our new innovations and technologies could re-humanize us.

⭐️Bob’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Innovations AI Technology impact Workforce Human Interaction
  1. Technology can help redefine what it means to be human and how time is best spent.
  2. We should consider allowing machines to handle tasks they excel at, while humans focus on emotional intelligence, creativity, problem-solving, ethics, and communication.
  3. By learning from past technology pitfalls, we can create new innovations that enhance our humanity and enrich our lives.

Career Bending Times.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 82 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
💼 Business Career development Workforce Trends Technology impact Globalization Future of work
  1. The future of careers is changing with various intertwined forces like technology, globalization, and shifts in work culture.
  2. Individuals will need to adapt to longer careers, continuous learning, and a gig-based work environment to stay relevant.
  3. Leaders must focus on developing talent, embracing change, and seeing the future as a place for growth and transformation.

Jaws, ChatGPT, and the future of the legal profession

The Jolly Contrarian • 19 implied HN points • 22 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI Legal Technology impact Language Models
  1. Emerging technologies like ChatGPT may impact the legal profession, but the role of human lawyers is crucial in providing context, understanding, and legal advice.
  2. The motivation for lawyers to maintain complexity and ineffability in legal work stems from the belief that convoluted contracts indicate prudence and value, even with the availability of simplification tools.
  3. Client expectations, fear of change, and adherence to precedent contribute to the resistance towards significant simplification in legal practices despite advancements in technology.

Technical Education vs. Mental Illness

Rounding the Earth Newsletter • 5 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🚌 Education Technical Skills Mental health Community Engagement Technology impact
  1. Learning about technology is really important for understanding how to manage our finances, especially with things like Bitcoin. If people don’t educate themselves, they might miss out on important advantages.
  2. Misunderstanding technical subjects can lead to harmful decisions in society, like when someone protests against effective solutions due to fear or misinformation. We need to have informed discussions rather than relying on opinions that lack depth.
  3. It's crucial to recognize the hard work that goes into becoming an expert in technical fields. Just knowing a little isn’t enough; serious commitment and study are necessary to really understand complex topics.

A Robotaxi Regulation Wishlist

Urben Field Notes • 27 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Regulations Transportation Urban planning Public Policy Technology impact
  1. The decisions made now by San Francisco and California about robotaxis will have a significant impact.
  2. Implementing specific regulations for robotaxis can help in managing traffic congestion and improving city transportation.
  3. There is a need for regulations like congestion pricing, robotaxi-free corridors, and designated pickup spots to enhance the integration of robotaxis in city transportation systems.

The Role of Social Machines in the Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 28 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Digital Society Technology impact Social Impact
  1. Social Machines play a key role in our digital society by meshing human ingenuity with technology to create useful societal outcomes.
  2. There are voluntary and business Social Machines, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some evolve from voluntary to for-profit ventures.
  3. Social Machines can lead to positive societal changes as they enable citizen participation and reflect the values and benefits of a democratic society.

A Utilitarian Soul

Vic's Verdict • 8 implied HN points • 21 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Expression Technology impact
  1. The essay explores potential explanations for the rise in depression, focusing on existential depression and the struggle to find meaning in life.
  2. The author suggests two paths to finding meaning: usefulness to others (utilitarianism) and creation of something meaningful to oneself (expression of the soul).
  3. Technology and societal factors, like instant gratification and cancel culture, discourage people from expressing their soul, leading to a decline in meaningful expression and contributing to the depression problem.

Render Unto the Machine

The Convivial Society • 3 HN points • 08 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI Automation Technology impact Ethics
  1. AI is being used to automate mundane, repetitive tasks that humans have been conforming to in various contexts.
  2. The acceptance of AI displacing humans may stem from a societal trend of deskilling and outsourcing core human competencies.
  3. Encountering genuine human interaction in a world of automated responses and efficiency-driven interactions can be a revitalizing and important experience.

What the Japanese Toilet Taught Me About Human Nature

David Reis on Software • 0 implied HN points • 19 Oct 24
📖 Philosophy Human nature Decision-making Technology impact Critical Thinking
  1. People often follow the crowd instead of thinking for themselves. It's easier to just do what everyone else does, even if there's a better option available.
  2. Life is complicated, and we tend to rely on others to guide our choices. Like how we trust that if everyone is eating berries, they must be safe.
  3. We should take the time to think carefully about our choices instead of rushing to conclusions. Slow, thoughtful decisions can lead to better outcomes.

GPT, Web Interfaces and The Horse Manure Crisis

Tomasz’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Web Development User Interface Innovation Technology impact
  1. Extrapolating issues solely based on current trends can be risky, as technological advancements can disrupt those predictions.
  2. GPT technology has the potential to revolutionize web interfaces, simplifying designs and making interactions more user-friendly.
  3. Just like the internal combustion engine addressed the horse manure issue, GPT may render current clunky web interfaces obsolete, paving the way for more intuitive online experiences.

Announcing some upcoming changes to Links (... as well as, y'know, some actual links)

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 06 May 16
🕹 Technology Social media Internet culture Technology impact Data Privacy Media influence
  1. The 'Links' newsletter is transitioning to a weekly schedule on Thursdays, focusing on the best links of the week.
  2. The changes to the newsletter are driven by a mix of reader feedback and the author's evolving life and job demands.
  3. Readers can provide input on the changes or the newsletter's future, and there's an alternative newsletter suggestion for those who prefer daily emails.

You're Like a Wizard, Samwell

The Unabashed Observer • 0 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Digital Revolution Social media influence Technology impact
  1. Throughout history, access to information has changed - from only the nobility to now widespread literacy.
  2. As technology evolved, the way we share information has changed, decreasing costs and making distribution easier.
  3. In the modern era, the rise of social media has shifted the power of information dissemination, highlighting the challenge between fact and fiction.

✅ AI tool explosion set to disrupt public relations

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
💼 Business Public Relations Technology impact AI Tools Innovation Ethics
  1. AI is set to change public relations a lot, in both good and bad ways, just like the internet did.
  2. There are now many new AI tools that can help with different tasks in public relations, but the market is still catching up.
  3. People in public relations are split on AI's impact; some see it as a threat while others view it as a way to enhance their work.

Exploring the En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator

The Climate Historian • 0 implied HN points • 20 Apr 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Policy Sustainability Technology impact Public awareness
  1. The En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator helps people understand climate change and how different actions can impact the future. It's like a fun game where you can see what happens when you change policies around energy, land use, and more.
  2. If we keep doing things the way we are now, temperatures could rise by 3.3°C by 2100. This could make many areas unlivable because of extreme heat, drought, and food shortages.
  3. You can interact with the simulator to see what happens if we choose different paths, like using more renewable energy or planting trees. This is a great tool for learning about climate solutions and making better choices.

Punished For Being Born (Issue #184)

Mark Smith’s Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 05 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Commentary Geopolitics Economic issues Technology impact
  1. The creator is facing a tough time, feeling overwhelmed by negative feedback and personal struggles. It's been really hard for them, and they want to keep publishing despite these challenges.
  2. There are a lot of interesting topics covered, including capitalism, politics, and AI. The podcasts shared dive into various important discussions and ideas.
  3. Support from readers is encouraged, as the creator is looking for donations to improve their newsletter. They believe they can make it better with a little help.

RDEL #20: What type of work leads to the most burnout, and how can technology help?

Research-Driven Engineering Leadership • 0 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Burnout Engineering Teams Technology impact Research Findings Work Culture
  1. Improving employee well-being is crucial for team performance. Factors like organizational culture, stability, job security, and knowledge transfer can significantly reduce burnout.
  2. Underrepresented groups, especially women, tend to experience higher levels of burnout. They often do more repetitive work that may not be recognized or aligned with their skills.
  3. To combat burnout, teams can focus on distributing non-promotable work evenly, streamlining code writing and review processes, and prioritizing a healthy culture which leads to improved productivity.

What makes LLMs like GPT good or bad for the world?

PashaNomics • 0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Language Models Technology impact AI training Ethical AI
  1. When evaluating a language model like GPT-X, consider factors like accuracy and impact.
  2. The impact of the model extends to both individual users and broader society, such as through unintended consequences and negative interactions.
  3. GPT's aimability, or its ability to follow rules effectively, is a complex issue that may not be effectively addressed with current training methods.