Communications of the ACM
The opinion archive provides access to past opinion stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
August 2021
From ACM Opinion
Governments and Businesses Must Unite to Combat Ransomware Threat
Cybersecurity expert says nations must stop sheltering bad actors in order to thwart threats and attacks
From ACM Opinion
No More Mr. Nice Robot?
Humans might want—and need—robots to be jerks, at least sometimes.
From ACM Opinion
Tesla's Dojo Is Impressive, but It Won't Transform Supercomputing
Dojo's reported performance numbers and niche application place it outside the ranks of true supercomputers
From ACM Opinion
Why Common Sense Is Hard for Computers
Recent efforts have recognized machine common sense as a moonshot AI problem of our times
From ACM Opinion
Linux Turns 30: From Bedroom Project to Billions of Devices
Linux fellow Greg Kroah-Hartman talks about world domination, what was, and what may be for the kernel
From ACM Opinion
Now Is the Time to Prepare for the Quantum Computing Revolution
Quantum computing is likely five to 10 years away, says one expert, but waiting until it happens will put your organization behind.
From ACM Opinion
The Tech and Social Impact of AI's Emerging Foundation Models
They could be pivotal for the future of not only machine learning but also society as a whole
From ACM Opinion
No Perfect Solution in Apple's Privacy vs. Child Safety Debate
How do opponents to Apple's child safety features calculate risk, and more importantly, what alternatives do they propose?
From ACM Opinion
A Thumbs Down for Streaming Privacy
The streaming apps and devices we pay for aren't necessarily careful with our personal information.
From ACM Opinion
Elon Musk's Tesla Bot Is a Joke
Don't overthink it: It's just a distraction and an empty promise
From ACM Opinion
How AI Can Enhance the Human Experience
With AI, the digital age can complement humanity like never before
From ACM Opinion
Could Cyberwar Make the World Safer?
Perhaps, if nations can settle for slugging it out online, rather than with guns and missiles?
From ACM Opinion
How Big Data Carried Graph Theory into New Dimensions
Researchers are turning to the mathematics of higher-order interactions to better model complex connections in data
From ACM Opinion
Big Tech Is Bending to the Indian Government's Will
The chasm between how platform giants uphold democratic values in the West and don't in the global south grows by the day
From ACM Opinion
What Does the Head of Remote Do?
Darren Murph, head of remote at GitLab, shares what he does and why the role is here to stay
From ACM Opinion
Now That Machines Can Learn, Can They Unlearn?
Researchers are testing whether they can remove sensitive data without retraining AI systems from scratch
From ACM Opinion
Deloitte's Quantum Computing Leader on the Technology's Healthcare Future
Scott Buchholz believes it will improve healthcare analytics, disease tracking and diagnosis, supply chains, drug discovery, and more
From ACM Opinion
'I Predict That the Metaverse Won't Happen'
Silicon Valley has been anticipating virtual reality for more than three decades, but people mostly like actual reality
From ACM Opinion
TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook Want to Appear Trustworthy but Don't Be Fooled
The dark side of AI systems may be harmful to users, but they are a gold mine for platforms
From ACM Opinion
Science Must Be for Everyone
Racism and sexism are obstacles to making the scientific enterprise worthy of its public funding
From ACM Opinion
Beyond the Bitcoin Bubble
The mania for cryptocurrency could wind up building something much more important than wealth
From ACM Opinion
How to Do Machine Learning without an Army of Data Scientists
Machine learning is still harder than it needs to be, but there are tools that can help
From ACM Opinion
How AI Struggles with Bike Lanes and Bias
Despite continued advances in AI, we still haven't solved some of its most basic problems
From ACM Opinion
Technology Is Making It Harder to Be a Moral Person
Are digital distractions such as social media and smartphones making us less ethical?
From ACM Opinion
New SEC Boss Wants More Crypto Oversight to Protect Investors
Gary Gensler says regulation can help new technologies grow.
From ACM Opinion
The Voices of Women in Tech Are Still Being Erased
Women in computing have been silenced more often than they've been listened to
From ACM Opinion
Why One of Ethereum's Cofounders Is Walking Away from Crypto
Anthony Di Iorio discusses his exit, the trends behind crypto's rise, risk, security, and changes coming to Ethereum
From ACM Opinion
Infrastructure Bill's Cryptocurrency Surveillance Provision Is Privacy Disaster
Mandate to collect customer data would force companies related to cryptocurrency to surveil users
From ACM Opinion
What I Learned Surrendering My Life to Algorithms
What happens when someone leaves daily choices about music, food, wardrobe, and more up to online algorithms for a week
From ACM Opinion
Why Tesla's 'Beta Testing' Puts the Public at Risk
Elon Musk has turned American streets into a public laboratory for the company's supposed self-driving car technology