In the evolving landscape of technology, the concept of AI as a coworker is gaining traction, yet it raises significant concerns. Recent research by Boston University professor Emma Wiles highlights that treating AI as a colleague may diminish human performance. In experiments, managers exhibited a tendency to overlook errors when tasks were assigned to a so-called ‘agentic AI,’ rather than a traditional chatbot. This phenomenon sheds light on the potential pitfalls of integrating AI tools into the workforce under the guise of collaboration. Major tech firms, including Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, have introduced various AI management tools marketed as digital coworkers, but the implications for productivity and accountability remain contentious.
On a different front, advancements in internet connectivity are taking to the skies. Sceye, a company based in New Mexico, is set to launch a solar-powered platform designed to enhance internet access from the stratosphere. Scheduled for deployment in August, this impressive craft will traverse from the southwestern United States to Japan, where it will operate at an altitude of several kilometers above the ocean. Equipped with a specialized antenna, the platform aims to bolster 5G networks by transmitting data directly to devices below. Sceye is among several companies pioneering high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), a promising technology that could revolutionize global internet connectivity and overcome existing terrestrial limitations.
Source: The Download: AI “coworkers” and stratospheric internet via MIT Technology Review