Computers have been around for a few decades and they have already become an integral part of our ecosystem. Computers today manage our financial institutions , medical institutions and even the aviation. We can only imagine what more the computers will be able to achieve in the future. This rising dependancy on the computer devices also comes with other risks, such as security and chronic dependance. In my opinion, I believe we should proceed with caution and adopt these devices without disrupting our society.
Computers have been one of the most debated invention of modern times after cars. At first people were skeptical of the machine, but since the invention of user friendly interface the computers have become a key part of our lives. The task once required a lot of man power and time, is being achieved in minutes. For example, computers are being heavily utilised from medical research, facilitating international transactions, forensics to guide flights on time.
Expert analysts and Tech CEOs predicts that the computer systems will be more smart and sophisticated as we move forward. They claim that the users will not even need to operate the computer, they will be smart enough to identify the task and design solution themselves, fully autonomous. For example, today we have text based Artificial Intelligence, which is considered a biggest leap in technical advancement, AI has more practical implications than just to have conversations. Hospitals will use AI for imaging to find tumours even before they develop, it will also be used to find cure for diseases, which today we find incurable. Advanced computer systems will be used to predict disasters and finding resources on other planets.
However, heavy dependence on the computers carries risks. As IBM once quoted “Computers should never make managerial decisions, because computers can not be held accountable”. After all, the computer is still a program that is vulnerable to cyberattacks. In addition, using the computer and AI for every small things is making human much less skilled, so much so that they can not function without internet. This is serious, humans should have basic skills such as, critical thinking, writing and decision making for a society to work efficiently. If everyone relies on the computer to make their decisions, we will have society that is ruled by the devices.
In conclusion, I would like to add that computers are very important and useful invention, and the development has just begun. We will witness lot of advancement in the technology, which have never imagined. But we should be careful on heavy reliance and keep the control to ourselves, so we can minimise the damage, if there is systemic failure.