Critical Technology
The Critical Technology podcast (2020-2023) explored cutting edge research on the social, cultural, and political implications of new technological developments. Each episodes features an interview with a leading scholar of technology about one (or more) of their most recent publications. Initially launched as a COVID-19 pivot and funded by the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) at the University of Toronto, the podcast was produced, edited and hosted by Dr. Sara Grimes, with massive help and creative contributions from several outstanding UofT students and alumni (see credits for details). Critical Technology was nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award in the Best Technology Series category in 2023 (finalist, but not awarded), and was accepted into the Amplify Podcast Network’s Sustain Stream inaugural cohort in 2023-2024. Read the open access "postmortem" report about Critical Technology and the process of creating a podcast for academic knowledge mobilization here: https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/3e6d7ce3-d5ae-4c3e-a302-4ca3b52d85d4
Critical Technology
Kids and Emotional AI Rebroadcast (interview with Dr. Andrew McStay)
Originally aired on February 14, 2022: As smart toys, virtual assistants, and machine learning apps spread across our homes and schools, an increasing number of children are now living, learning, and growing up around artificial intelligence or “AI”. Yet, we still know very little about children’s relationship with AI, how they feel about the seemingly knowledgeable voices coming out of their electronic devices, or how AI responds to children’s feelings. In this episode, Dr. Sara Grimes chats with Dr. Andrew McStay, Professor of Digital Life at Bangor University (Wales, UK) and Director of the Emotional AI Lab about the ethics and impacts of AI technologies designed to read and respond to our emotions, and their growing presence in children’s lives.
The discussion is focused on two of Dr. McStay’s articles published in the journal Big Data & Society: “Emotional artificial intelligence in children’s toys and devices: Ethics, governance and practical remedies,” co-authored with Dr. Gilad Rosner (2021), and “Emotional AI, soft biometrics and the surveillance of emotional life: An unusual consensus on privacy” (2020).
Please Note: The news story described in the intro happened in late 2021, not 2020. With apologies for the error and any resulting confusion!
Type of research discussed in today’s episode: mixed-method research; social science; media/communication studies; philosophy of technology; ethics; law/policy research.
Keywords for today’s episode: artificial intelligence (AI); emotion; empathy; feeling into; soft biometrics; emotoys; generational unfairness; technological ambivalence; governance; data protection and privacy; children’s rights.
