Please choose one of the topics provided below and write a short essay that provides your own view on the topic. Your response should be about 500 words in length. It should be a critical response, in the sense that you are expected to contemplate the topic from multiple angles, then adopt and expand on your own position.
Topics:
1. In our discussion of Cheneys article, we addressed the potent idea of disruption as a central objective of the start-ups, tech firms and internet-based behemoths that populate Silicon Valley. Consider the specific disruption caused by the gig economy. Has the rapid expansion of companies like Uber and AirBnB been primarily a creative, positive development, or is disruption in certain ways destructive?
2. Machine learning is transforming a considerable number of different industries, from renewable energy to journalism. Examine the role of machine learning algorithms in either the production of art or the advancement of game theory specifically. Is it still important to distinguish between AI-assisted and artificially intelligent forms of artistic production or gameplay? Do you believe that machine learning will force us to reevaluate basic assumptions about where human creativity and decision-making comes from?
3. Podcasting has become a legitimate medium for amateur and professional broadcasters alike to locate and speak to audiences. Analyze the growing popularity of podcasts in relationship to the importance of podcatcher apps like Google Podcasts and the iTunes Store. Are these apps curating content in helpful ways, or in ways that reduce and constrain the number of creative possibilities that podcasting possesses as a digital medium?
