Unit six, section one

Making decisions about computers

Challenge work submission

1. Read chapter 17 of the textbook.

2. Complete challenge work #1, on page 796-797 of the text.

Note

Corresponds to challenge work #1, on page 796-797 of the text. The instructions may say a short profile, but the course Brightspace says 2-3 paragraphs is sufficient.

Warning

To view my challenge work submission, go to https://learning.athabascau.ca/d2l/le/16078/discussions/threads/134737/View. The challenge work and the assignment are essentially the same, since the challenge work asks to do question 1 and I had selected question 1, the challenge work simply removes the extra three topics from the submission.

Works cited

Schneider, G. Michael, and Judith Gersting. Invitation to Computer Science. 6th ed., Cengage Learning, 2013.

Assignment 6 (chapter seventeen, section six)

Question 1 on page 796-797, chapter 17:

A. Topics

Pick three topics from the list shown, or make up some topics of your own that involve technology and humans. For each topic, think of an analogous situation that does not involve computing. Make a short list of how each analogy is like the topic and how the analogy is different from the topic:

• Loss of jobs due to technology

• Untaxed bots in the workplace

• AI and the negative environmental impact

Loss of jobs due to machinery

• Similar since industrial revolution introduced machinery like the technological revolution is introducing automation in AI and computing

• Different in that the machinery job replacement was very specific or limited, like rotating a box on an assembly line prior to label or sticker application. Now we have much more complicated processes being automated with AI and computing, like a robotic warehouse workers.

Untaxed tools in the workplace

• Similar since AI and automation is an extension of a tool, and we don’t tax a torque wrench that replaced strength, or a conveyor belt production line which replaced people.

• Different in that these robots are much more free thinking and capable of wider disruption in competitive markets, and social systems which rely on tax. It benefits the ultra wealthy while widening a gap between the working class, where the industrial revolution replacements were able to successfully allow benefits to the workers who often used them as assistance, and not as replacements, since the industrial era tooling was not capable of autonomous thinking scope.

Factories and the negative environmental impact

• Similar since the industrial era was notoriously known for causing pollution with solid fuel and coal based power backing factories, creating excess PM2 and PM10 byproducts.

• Different since the technological revolution is currently spending large amounts of water to cool server farms, and creating mass amounts of power drain on the planet, impacting aquatic life and all life on earth which requires the deminishing availability of water.

B. Stakeholders

Pick your favorite topic from among the three topics you chose. For that topic, make a new list of all the significant stakeholders in the topic. (Hint: Remember that a stakeholder can be an individual, a group of individuals, a corporation, perhaps the environment, or any other entities you think are important in your topic.) For each stakeholder, list what the stakeholder most values in this situation.

AI and the negative environmental impact

• Government: regulations and reform, controls, social security of dwindling tax payments

• Workers: job security, workplace safety, fair wages

• Climate change activists: Protecting biodiversity, reducing emissions

• Investors: profit, avoiding regulation and risks surrounding conventional labour forces

• Consumers: reduced pricing

• Water management: Supply, sustainable use, preventing contamination

• Agriculture: access to water, industrial contamination, soil health, land availability, encroachment on land

• Energy sector: profit

C. Costs and benefits

For each stakeholder you identified in Exercise 1b, list the possible costs and benefits in the situation you chose. In many cases, these are potential costs and benefits, things that might or might not happen.

Government - Costs: loss of tax revenue from displaced workers, backlash from labour groups, operational costs for enforcing regulations - Benefits: increase in economic efficiency, possible new tax revenue from AI-driven industry

Workers - Costs: job displacement and reduced wages due to free-thinking automation. Fewer employment opportunities - Benefits: new jobs generated by AI, increase in workplace safety

Climate change activists - Costs: electronic waste increase from rapidly outdated AI hardware - Benefits: better availability of AI modelling and data aggregation for sustainability efforts for low funded NPOs who can’t afford data scientists

Investors - Costs: risk of strikes and social activism disruption to investments, and regulatory changes - Benefits: high profit margins

Consumers - Costs: privacy risks, reliance on AI, job losses, and possible inverse effects i.e increased costs - Benefits: (possibly) decreased product costs, convenience, better product quality

Water management - Costs: higher water consumption for AI data centers, risk of local water shortages - Benefits: AI-driven water efficiency improvements, predictive analytics for water conservation

Agriculture - Costs: competition for water, disruption to operations from industrial expansion - Benefits: aggricultural AI advancements

Energy sector - Costs: increased costs energy from demand, pressure to transition to renewable infrastructure, strain on existing infrastructure - Benefits: profit

D. Duties and responsibilities

Make a 2D table that has (n) × (n) cells. At the top of the table, label each column with one of your stakeholders. At the left of the table, copy the list of stakeholders, one for each row. Inside each cell, list any duties or responsibilities that the stakeholder on the left owes the stakeholder above. Don’t neglect the cells that describe duties people have to themselves.

Duties and Responsibilities Among Stakeholders

	Government	Workers	Climate Change Activists	Investors	Consumers	Water Management	Agriculture	Energy Sector
Government	Enforce fair policies, ensure economic stability	Protect worker rights, support retraining programs	Implement sustainability regulations	Maintain investment-friendly policies, regulate AI impact	Protect consumer privacy and job security	Regulate AI water consumption, ensure fair distribution	Support sustainable farming, manage land use	Regulate energy consumption, incentivize renewables
Workers	Pay taxes, comply with laws, participate in policy discussions	Advocate for fair wages, upskill for AI-driven economy	Reduce environmental footprint	Maintain productivity, avoid unnecessary disruptions	Support ethical businesses	Use water responsibly	Adopt AI in agriculture responsibly	Conserve energy in workplaces
Climate Change Activists	Advocate for stronger environmental policies	Support sustainable labor practices	Encourage corporate responsibility	Hold investors accountable for green investments	Educate consumers on eco-friendly choices	Promote sustainable water usage	Push for sustainable agriculture	Advocate for clean energy adoption
Investors	Fund sustainable and ethical policies	Support job creation through AI investment	Invest in green initiatives	Ensure stable long-term returns	Promote AI ethics in consumer products	Support water conservation technologies	Invest in agricultural AI responsibly	Fund renewable energy projects
Consumers	Vote for responsible governance	Demand fair working conditions	Support sustainable businesses	Invest in ethical brands	Protect personal privacy, make informed choices	Reduce water consumption	Choose sustainably sourced food	Use energy-efficient products
Water Management	Follow government water policies	Ensure fair water distribution for industries	Support AI for water conservation	Develop policies that balance investment and sustainability	Provide safe drinking water for consumers	Promote responsible water usage	Ensure agriculture gets sufficient water	Work with the energy sector to optimize water use
Agriculture	Follow environmental and labor laws	Provide stable employment opportunities	Reduce harmful emissions	Ensure sustainable investment in AI farming	Supply safe and sustainable food products	Use water efficiently in farming	Maintain food security and supply chain stability	Shift towards energy-efficient farming practices
Energy Sector	Follow government energy policies	Provide stable jobs in energy production	Reduce carbon emissions	Balance profit with sustainability	Offer energy-efficient solutions to consumers	Ensure responsible water usage	Support agriculture with reliable energy	Transition to renewable energy sources

Works cited

Schneider, G. Michael, and Judith Gersting. Invitation to Computer Science. 6th ed., Cengage Learning, 2013.