Communications of the ACM
Innovation Is Overrated: A Provocation
Digital innovation is not working in the interest of the whole of society. It is time to radically rethink its purpose without…
From ACM Opinion
Python Meets Plato: Why Stanford Should Require Computer Science Students to Study ethics
Computer scientists at Stanford are not taught to seriously consider the societal or political impact of their products. This oversight is troubling since technology...
From ACM Opinion
On the Future of Human-Centered Robotics
A major theme in recent political discourse has been the perceived impact of robots and automation on the United States labor economy.
From ACM Opinion
Forget Mars, Let's Go Colonize Titan!
For a while now, there's been a debate in the US over how to direct NASA's next major human spaceflight initiative.
From ACM Opinion
Nvidia Ceo: Software Is Eating the World, but AI Is Going to Eat Software
Tech companies and investors have recently been piling money into artificial intelligence—and plenty has been trickling down to chip maker Nvidia.
From ACM Opinion
The Real Threat to Our Government Is Tech Illiteracy
You only have to look to newsworthy FBI investigations to see how pervasive U.S. government leaders' digital illiteracy can be.
From ACM Opinion
How Privacy Became a Commodity For the Rich and Powerful
Recently I handed over the keys to my email account to a service that promised to turn my spam-bloated inbox into a sparkling model of efficiency in just a few...
From ACM Opinion
Online Voting Won't Save Democracy
Technology can do a lot more to make our elections more secure and reliable, and to ensure that participation in the democratic process is available to all.
From ACM Opinion
FCC Chief Makes Case For Tackling Net Neutrality Violations 'after The Fact'
The Federal Communications Commission will vote on May 18 to formally begin the process of loosening regulations that enforce the so-called net neutrality rules...
From ACM Opinion
Russian Disinformation Technology
On July 17, 2014, as passengers checked in at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, "Necro Mancer"(@666_mancer) tweeted about an unusual...
From ACM Opinion
The Wireless Future Ties S Down More Than Ever
As I add more cordless, smart, and rechargeable stuff to my life, I've run more into a mundane but real issue: I still have too many cords to deal with when it's...
From ACM Opinion
Eric Schmidt Discusses Computing, Ai, and the Future of Technology
Self-driving cars, the state of computer science research, artificial intelligence, and other topics were all on the table when MIT' CSAIL hosted Alphabet Chairman...
From ACM Opinion
Google and Facebook's Idealistic Futures Are Built on Ads
In 2011 a young computer scientist named Jeff Hammerbacher said something profound while explaining why he'd decided to leave Facebook—and the promise of a small...
From ACM Opinion
The Internet of Things Needs a Code of Ethics
In October, when malware called Mirai took over poorly secured webcams and DVRs, and used them to disrupt internet access across the United States, I wondered who...
From ACM Opinion
The 'fix' For Net Neutrality That Consumers Don't Need
Netflix and Amazon have been nominated for hundreds of Emmys and Golden Globe awards in recent years, and that is a testament to both the quality of those companies...
From ACM Opinion
Finding Solace in Defeat By Artificial Intelligence
Fan Hui, the European Go champion, needed some fresh air. "I don't understand myself anymore."
From ACM Opinion
Artificial Intelligence: Chess Match of the Century
Nearly 20 years ago, I was fortunate enough to play friendly blitz chess against former world champion Garry Kasparov.
From ACM Opinion
Facebook's Race to Link Your Brain to a Computer Might Be nwinnable
"What if you could type directly from your brain?" Regina Dugan said, as the same words appeared on the towering screen behind her, one digital character at a time...
From ACM Opinion
Ai's Pr Problem
Had artificial intelligence been named something less spooky, we'd probably worry about it less.
From ACM Opinion
Five Hacks For Digital Democracy
The election of a politically inexperienced president in the United States, Britain's vote to leave the European Union and the initial rejection of a peace deal...
From ACM Opinion