Alien: While the Times Got Smarter, I Stayed in Place

The author, writing a personal reflection, notes a growing sense of intellectual inadequacy as technology rapidly advances. Once confident in their own intelligence, capable of math, logic, and quoting Shakespeare, they now find themselves questioning their smarts compared to their smartphone.

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I used to think I was quite smart. Could do math, reason logically, and quote Shakespeare. Had sufficient grades to get into journalism school.

This feeling is amplified by everyday encounters with "smart" devices. The latest car, for instance, requires minimal steering, navigating destinations and adjusting speed autonomously. It brakes for traffic, anticipates roundabouts, and warns against speeding. However, this automation can be frustrating, as the car might inexplicably slow down on a highway, a decision the author deems neither smart nor safe.

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But slowly, subtly, the times became smarter while I remained in roughly the same spot.

Similarly, new headphones boast a smart feature that lowers volume when ambient sounds are detected, such as conversations. While intended to be helpful, this function proves counterproductive for the author, who enjoys singing along to music while cycling. The headphones abruptly reduce volume during enthusiastic singing, undermining the very enjoyment they sought.

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Our latest car barely needs steering; you just enter the destination, and it decides the speed itself.

Even at work, an AI meant to assist with spelling and grammar offers suggestions that can be overly pedantic, like advising on word variation or the overuse of commas. The author concludes that while technology aims to be helpful, its "smartness" often feels questionable, leading to a humorous critique of its pervasive and sometimes misguided influence on daily life.

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Unfortunately, it also reads the speed limit signs on the exits and might decide it's time to brake to 60 on an 80 road near Kungens kurva.