"It should be used differently!" Technologies and unexpected uses
Institutional Communication Service
3 February 2023
Large technology companies, so-called Big Tech, are struggling and proceeding with major layoffs. Among the departments heavily downsized as being unproductive is that of voice assistants such as Amazon's Alexa and Google's Google Assistant. The reason is supposedly the users who do not 'adapt' to the companies' expectations, using the assistants for simple tasks that do not pay well for the companies. This is a frequent phenomenon, as shown by several cases of inventions misunderstood by their inventors and confirmed by studies on science and technology.
In the column dedicated to technology in collaboration with La Regione, this month we hosted Gabriele Balbi, professor in media studies at USI Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society.
Read the contribution (Italian only)
The column
Nowadays, technology and informatics play a fundamental role in our lives. This continued presence offers opportunities and challenges that are not always easy. To help us better understand these often complex issues, the daily newspaper La Regione proposes a monthly feature in which, throughout 2022, USI professors and researchers will provide insights into the multifaceted dimensions that shape the digital age.
