The development of modern technology is bound to be accompanied by applause of flowers, but there is also no lack of doubts and criticisms. Recently, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a world-renowned private research university, selected the "Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies in the World" and the "Top 10 Worst Technologies of the 21st Century" in 2018.

The report pointed out that there is no technology in the world that can be both pleasing and counterproductive, and the most useful technology can also be the most harmful - such as the car, which is essential to the modern world. Millions of deaths. Only by facing the duality of science and technology can people get rid of the waste and save the essence, and breed modern technology that is more profitable.

2018 "Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies in the World"

Image source: "MIT Technology Review" Chinese website

The list includes: Artificial Intelligence for All (Cloud AI), Adversarial Neural Networks, Artificial Embryos, "Genetic Divination", Sensing Cities, Babel Fish Earbuds, Perfect Internet Privacy, Quantum Leaps in Materials, Practical 3D Metal printers, zero-carbon natural gas power generation, a total of 10 breakthrough technologies.

Looking back at the technologies listed in the past few years, there is an obvious trend: AI technology stands at the center of the technology stage almost every year. MIT pointed out that the most groundbreaking breakthrough point in the field of artificial intelligence in 2018 is that artificial intelligence will break away from the framework that requires a lot of data to be fed and set, and achieve the ability to evolve more refined results on its own.

MIT believes that the most groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology in 2019 is dueling neural networks (Dueling Neural Networks) / adversarial generative networks (GAN) - through the competition of two AI systems, the process of greatly accelerating the process of machine learning , which in turn empowers machine intelligence with imaginative powers that have never been possible before.

In the 2018 list, there are more than one "good and evil" technologies like GAN, and "artificial embryos" and "genetic divination" in the biomedical field are also such controversial technologies. MIT said, how can we make good use of the breakthroughs in science and technology to answer questions that could not be answered in the past, solve difficulties that could not be solved in the past, but not get lost in the confusion and fear of who can play God?

It is worth mentioning that China's emerging technological forces cannot be ignored. One of the most classic cases is "Paying With Your Face" in the "Top Ten Breakthrough Technologies" in 2017. This technology can be said to be customized for China, and the main researchers are also domestic first-line manufacturers. It is undeniable that China's scientific and technological research and development capabilities have become one of the most important forces in the world, and in some areas it can compete with the world's top technology companies.

The worst tech list 2000-2019

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Image source: "MIT Technology Review" Chinese website

"Unfortunate" on the list include: electric scooters, Google Glass, electronic voting, one child, one computer program, gene-edited babies, illegal data transactions, cryptocurrencies, electronic cigarettes, capsule coffee, selfie sticks.

The user's own safety, high cost, lack of product standards, privacy security, ethics, environmental protection and other reasons have become the main reasons for the above ten products to be criticized. For example, the potential safety hazards of electric balance cars and selfie sticks, Google glasses, electronic voting, and illegal data transactions make personal privacy invisible. The one-child-one-computer plan and gene-edited babies involve social and ethical issues. Electronic cigarettes are subject to supervision. loopholes, capsule coffee directly caused environmental pollution and other cases.

In this regard, some media people commented that there is no threshold for one worry, and one worry is one size fits all. There is no perfect technology, and no technology is inherently bad. To make science and technology benefit mankind, it is not just the wisdom of scientists and engineers. Therefore, there is no need to be discouraged for many of the "worst technologies of the century" list. Please ask "super brains" from all walks of life to interlock together to form a "wisdom chain", which can still win back the hearts of mankind.