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As I was visiting my mother this weekend, watching her sit on hold with a major phone carrier because she refused to “press one/two/three like a trained monkey”, I caught myself rolling my eyes and thinking all kinds of thoughts about Boomers. Then a new and scarier thought followed…is this why my son rolls his eyes when I refuse to engage with the Chatbot on websites?! AM I HIS VERSION OF A TECH BOOMER?! Maybe it’s not that extreme, but it did have me thinking about technology, the normalizing of advancements between generations, and how it applies to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The topic had me reading Marzo’s chapter from ‘Intergenerational Relations – Contemporary Theories, Studies and Policies’ (2023) which discusses (among other things) how social norms, particularly societal and familial, effect the view of technology with a view towards AI and other cutting-edge technology. While I was already familiar with the concept of Baby Boomers preferring face to face interactions and Gen Z preferring digital dialogue, I hadn’t thought of that in the context of AI acceptance. While the paper highlights challenges with communication, it also provides some interesting posits regarding how AI can mediate communication between generations, such as using algorithms as “generation translators” (Marzo, 2023, section 7) or allow otherwise homebound elder relatives to virtually attend graduations and celebrations.
A continued focus on acceptance of technology such as AI both by society and within family units will likely ease the way for all generations to become more comfortable with the advanced technology, as they are motivated and inspired by each other. For me – the inspiration is to avoid as much eye rolling as possible as I navigate my own Chatbot biases!
Reference
Marzo, R. R. (2024). Bridging the Gap: Understanding and Fostering Intergenerational Communication in the Digital Age. In Intergenerational Relations-Contemporary Theories, Studies and Policies. IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1155846
May 30, 2024 at 4:10 pm
Great thoughts about this Jessica! I remember reading early on in this course that “education is on the brink of being transformed through learning technologies; however, it has been on that brink for some decades now” (Laurillard, 2008, as cited in Selywn, 2010, p. 66) and I think customer service in the private sector is in much the same place as education is, if not even further ahead because the appeal of automation is even greater in the for-profit sector.
I know you’ve been investigating AI in learning since our group project. Have you come across any ideas which you want to bring back to your own corporate environment? Do you have concerns about how those ideas may be percieved by different generations of workers or customers?
References
Selwyn, N. (2010). Looking beyond learning: notes towards the critical study of educational technology. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26, 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00338.x
May 31, 2024 at 3:36 pm
Jessica, your reflections on intergenerational technology use and AI integration really intrigued me! It’s fascinating to consider the concept of “generation translators” that you mentioned from Marzo’s chapter. It suggests a potential evolution in how we understand and implement AI technologies. This could be a crucial step towards enhancing acceptance and usability across age groups. It reminds me of research I came across from Link et al. (2023) who discuss user-centered design in AI ,which emphasizes the importance of tailoring AI interactions to fit the specific cultural and social needs of different user groups. They argue that AI technologies must be developed with a keen awareness of these differences to avoid exacerbating existing divides (Link et al., 2023).
Your personal experiences in navigating your own biases with chatbots seemed similiar to my own, and I feel like it serves as a reminder that our reactions to tech are often deeply personal and influenced by our habitual interactions. In light of this, I wonder how we might foster a more inclusive approach to introducing AI within various social and professional contexts? It would be interesting to explore how can we ensure that these technologies are not only accepted but also valued by those who might be more skeptical of their benefits. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
May 31, 2024 at 3:38 pm
References:
Link, J., Dadakou, H., & Krüger, A. E. (2023). Lowering the risk of bias in AI applications. AHFE International. https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1003286
May 31, 2024 at 3:39 pm
Jessica, your reflections on intergenerational technology use and AI integration really intrigued me! It’s fascinating to consider the concept of “generation translators” that you mentioned from Marzo’s chapter. It suggests a potential evolution in how we understand and implement AI technologies. This could be a crucial step towards enhancing acceptance and usability across age groups. It reminds me of research I came across from Link et al. (2023) who discuss user-centered design in AI ,which emphasizes the importance of tailoring AI interactions to fit the specific cultural and social needs of different user groups. They argue that AI technologies must be developed with a keen awareness of these differences to avoid exacerbating existing divides (Link et al., 2023).
Your personal experiences in navigating your own biases with chatbots seemed similiar to my own, and I feel like it serves as a reminder that our reactions to tech are often deeply personal and influenced by our habitual interactions. In light of this, I wonder how we might foster a more inclusive approach to introducing AI within various social and professional contexts? It would be interesting to explore how can we ensure that these technologies are not only accepted but also valued by those who might be more skeptical of their benefits. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
References:
Link, J., Dadakou, H., & Krüger, A. E. (2023). Lowering the risk of bias in AI applications. AHFE International. https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1003286
May 31, 2024 at 5:22 pm
Your personal story about your mom and technology really resonated with me—it’s so relatable and adds a lot of depth to your thoughts on AI and generational differences. Have you noticed any other ways that these differences in tech use affect your everyday life or relationships? Your take on AI as a mediator between generations is fascinating. Do you think there are other cool ways AI could bridge the gap between age groups, both socially and technologically? Your point about the future acceptance of AI through intergenerational inspiration is spot on. What do you think we could do to encourage this acceptance even more, both in society and within families?
-Radhika.A