With good reason, we find it difficult to relinquish control to technological devices. This is particularly evident in the idea of self-driving cars, but even small things, such as the refrigerator that automatically restocks milk without being asked for it, meet with resistance.
Human beings are creatures of free will and staunch defenders of our own agency.
And any technological advancement that fails to acknowledge this essential human trait is doomed to fall short.
Further more: Trying to define the future based on yesterday's data is never a good idea.
Very welcome to the Code Red: Technology, Madness, and the Future of Humanity. The monthly videocast for people who are pissed-off about technology going rogue, want to do something about it, and wish to use technology in a positive way to create a better future for humanity.
In Episode 3, I discuss why nobody seems to want the undead autonomous refrigerator that promises to automatically reorder milk for 20 years. I delve into this topic with Chris Kalaboukis, a Silicon Valley-based tech luminary, futurist, innovator, inventor, writer, and idea-generating machine.
How did I come across the refrigerator story?
Nearly two decades ago, I attended a talk by a bright-eyed researcher who impressed the audience with tales of an intelligent refrigerator that could – almost unbelievably – reorder milk all on its own. I was impressed, too. Fast-forward 18 years, and I find myself seated in the same auditorium, listening to the same researcher touting the same revolutionary appliance. The autonomous fridge, it seems, is still a milk-ordering powerhouse. Yet somehow this miracle product has failed to catch fire in the marketplace.
What happened? Did it fall prey to lactose intolerance?
Since then, other “intelligent” assistants have joined the refrigerator in its endeavor to restock consumer goods: From the Amazon Dash Button to Alexa to Google Home and beyond, an army of devices now stands at the ready, poised to reorder not just milk, but a dizzying array of goods and services. And yet, even in this era of hyperconnectivity, no one seems to want the poor autonomous refrigerator.
I hope you enjoy this month’s Code Red Videocast episode entitled "Honey, the Refrigerator Reordered Milk, Again!", my dear friends ♥️.
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🎬 Video, design concept & production by the incredibly talented Red Swan Vienna Chief Creative Officer (CCO) Xaver Kettele (🙏😊)
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