Smart and intelligent technologies are being developed and implemented in devices that have an everyday use. These smart technologies are a result of coupling low-cost powerful microprocessors with artificial intelligence technologies. An example of these smart technologies are the smartphones we use every day. But that represents only one category.
A question that is being asked is if these devices not only make our surroundings smarter but if they also make us smarter. When we have a smartphone for example, we aren’t just connected to people, but also to a huge amount of information and knowledge. It’s sort of serving as a digital personal computer which can give you access to all sorts of resources. So the question is if these smart technologies make us smarter, more intelligent, creative and productive?
This issue can be compared to an “open book exam”. Academics concluded that students don’t get better results on open book exams. This is because knowledge doesn’t equal intelligence. The thing that qualifies as intelligence is being able to understand and skilful apply the knowledge you have. So even if we have a smartphone that can give us a tremendous amount of information, we still need to know how to use this information effectively. It’s even said that smartphones have the opposite effect on us. It’s said that smartphones make us think less and copy and plagiarize more. It makes us more dependent and less analytical.
We always used that think that by using computers and other smart technologies, hard-working, intelligent workforces would be produced. But it turns out that our productivity is still low. Except maybe for intelligent people who can use smart technologies effectively.
The problem with computer-based technologies is that they can be so distracting, which reduces productivity instead of enhancing it. A lot of studies showed that most workers spend an unusual amount of time surfing the web or checking personal mails during working hours. And with an enhanced connectivity, speed and rise of social networks, students and workers spend less time on reflection. This is reflected in the ability to think critically and analyze.
So smart technologies can be a boon or a bane, it all depends on how the individual decides to use them. It’s probably essential that guidelines and policies are developed in a national or societal context. Policymakers and educational sectors need to understand that technology serves as a tool that’s at his best in the hands of analytical and creative individuals. And the emphasis must be placed on learning, analysis and reflection if we want to use these technologies to create and innovate.
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