Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about the World Government Summit. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy

THE BIG TAKE

Is Chat GPT the End of Googling?

It’s hard to keep up with all the news about ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. Microsoft recently made a $13 billion investment  in OpenAI and unveiled a new version of its long-struggling Bing search engine. The new Bing has ChatGPT built into its architecture, including an interface for deeper conversations with the AI chatbot. Journalists like Kevin Roose of the New York Times, who used the new Bing, reported deeply unsettling experiences with ChatGPT. 

Easing into the future. Roose’s interaction with ChatGPT left him with “a foreboding feeling that A.I. had crossed a threshold and that the world would never be the same.” Indeed, the world will never be the same now that millions of people use this technology daily. The first noticeable change will be how we use search engines on the internet. AI is making search more powerful. This means we must consider the questions we ask search engines and the nature of the information we seek. Our language will change, as it did when Google burst onto the scene. This isn’t as bad as a steady evolution in how we use technology. 

Putting ideas into action. More concerning are the changes to how we think. Just a couple of decades ago, people could navigate cities without the help of Google Maps, and we needed to hold a lot more information inside of our heads (instead of just turning to Google for a quick search). With AI running search, there is a real risk of becoming even lazier regarding intellectual production. Instead of worrying about AI taking over the world, we should reflect on our ability to generate intellectual work. In short, let’s not forget that we have our own brains and do not outsource all daily life work to machines.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It's worth remembering that with regard to cognitive science, we're kind of pre-Galilean, just beginning to open up the subject."

– Noam Chomsky, linguist.

CHART OF THE WEEK

We are looking at chatGPT. The program created by OpenAI has enjoyed atmospheric growth over the last three months. Can it continue?

OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK

Making the creative case: Artists and creatives need a business-friendly base to thrive in the ultra-competitive Creative Economy. The UAE is working to embrace these creatives with new laws and visas that will attract them to the country. With the new legislation, the UAE is emerging as the perfect answer for the global creative economy. We take a deep dive into the issue in this piece published by Xische. 

The future of digital culture. Writing in The National, Xische’s director of strategy, Mary Ames, addressed the question of digital culture. We’ve all experienced the power of technology, from Zoom calls to the ability to stream millions of hours of content during the crisis. We’ve also read about the myriad privacy issues surrounding platforms like Zoom. The challenge is striking the right balance between innovative technology and data privacy, and the perfect time is now.

SPOTTED ELSEWHERE

The internet at the Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court is hearing a case that could transform the internet worldwide. For the first time, the court is hearing an argument over Section 230, a federal law that shields websites like Google from being sued over content posted by others. If removed, popular websites like YouTube and Facebook could be held responsible for users' content. The changes are unlikely to pass, but this is a regulatory battle that we should all keep a close eye on going forward. 

What’s in a font? A couple of months ago, the internet was alight with news that the US State Department was changing fonts. Instead of the traditional Times New Roman font used across the US government (and many others), the State Department switched to Calibri in official communications and memos. This story stuck with us because it underscores the power that subtle visual changes can have on an organization or a government. We have seen countries like the UAE make similar design changes with significant effect. As we move forward into the year, it would be great to see more decisions about design shifts take hold.

QUICK HITS

• A better way to handle afternoons as a parent? 

• The case against using AI in classrooms. 

• Snakes can hear better than we thought.

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