The Unintended Consequences of Technology: Solutions, Breakthroughs, and the Restart We Need - Hardcover

by Chris Ategeka (Author)

Discover the technologies and trends that threaten humanity and our planet--- and how we can rein them back in, together

In The Unintended Consequences of Technology: Solutions, Breakthroughs and the Restart We Need, accomplished tech entrepreneur Chris Ategeka delivers an insightful and eye-opening exploration of the challenges and the opportunities at the intersection of technology, society and our planet. Detailing both positive and negative technology use cases that on one hand have made humanity better, but on the other hand pose a serious threat to individuals and groups across the world, the author demonstrates how to avoid allowing powerful technologies to overcome our better natures.

In this book, you'll:

• Discover how the forces of capitalism, greed and the myths that surround meritocracy when combined with exponential technology pose an existential risk for humanity.
• Explore the many exponential technologies such as gene editing, 5G, behavior modification, cyberspace... that have lots of promise but also uncertainty.
• Consider the future of humanity we wish to collectively build, and whether we can rebuild a capacity for empathy at scale in our tech tools

Perfect for founders, business leaders, executives, managers, Chief Technology Officers, and anyone else [i.e. all human beings] responsible for the use and proliferation of advanced technologies. The Unintended Consequences of Technology is a thought-provoking, must-read resource for those at the forefront of our new technological reality.

Front Jacket

In this urgent book, Chris Ategeka suggests a series of steps we can take to deal with the unintended and willfully ignored consequences of technologies. The bad news is that so long as technology is here, so are its negative externalities. The good news is that with intention, smarts, and safety engineering we can deal with the unintended consequences of technologies before they even occur. This book breaks down what needs to be done in two parts.

Part one addresses how humanity got into this mess. Part two dives into the many exponential technologies and trends with lots of promise but also uncertainty. The negative consequences of technology are an enormous existential crisis, but solving them should be seen as a huge opportunity. We have the ambition, thanks to the growing global movement led by young people who are deeply concerned. What we need is a will to act.

Whether you are a technologist, a government leader, or a citizen of this world, there are things you can do to help stop humanity from innovating ourselves into extinction.

Back Jacket

"This book should be required reading for everyone who uses technology and is concerned about its impact. This is a fascinating, timely, and urgent manual for all of us to understand how to have technology serve us, rather than overwhelm us. This book is clear, concise and straightforward....It will change the way you think about technology."
--Lynne Twist, global activist, speaker, and the author of The Soul of Money

Saving the world from technology run amok

Humanity is experiencing a technological revolution the likes of which we've never seen. And it shows no sign of slowing down. Some of the effects of this sea of change are positive. We live longer and our systems are faster and more efficient. We are generally healthier and safer as well. Still, some of the unintended consequences of our new technological capabilities are less positive. Every day we encounter a new danger to our privacy, our freedom, and in some cases, our humanity.

As our algorithmic lifestyles and revolutionary new digital tools impact more of our lives, many are beginning to realize that the panacea to the deeply rooted problems created by tech may not be the creation of even newer technologies. Instead, we must once again embrace what makes us truly human and demand that our technology does the same.

In The Unintended Consequences of Technology, renowned tech entrepreneur Chris Ategeka delivers a stirring call to action for anyone who has become concerned by the increasingly intrusive, dehumanizing, and troubling effects of the technological revolution on individuals and humanity as a whole. Tackling technologies as varied as data science, artificial intelligence, blockchain, genomics, and 5G, the author insightfully examines how our relentless pursuit of financial maximization is leading us into innovating ourselves toward extinction. He also explains how we can go about halting the erosion of our collective humanity and create positive change in our own lives and the lives of others. Ideal for technologists, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the intersection between people and technology, this is a must-read book that will open your eyes to the wonders, and blunders, of the age we live in and the age to come.

Author Biography

CHRIS ATEGEKA is an engineer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder of the Center for the Unintended Consequences of Technology [UCOT] a company that focuses on finding solutions to the challenges at the intersection of technology and humanity. He was named to Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 in 2014, is an Echoing Green Fellow, a TED Fellow, and was recently recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
To learn more, visit: helloucot.com/; christopherategeka.com/; Twitter: @chrisategeka