Designer’s film flags serious issues surrounding society’s obsession with productivity

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Spotted: A film by designer Keiichi Matsuda offers a frightening look at the dangers of automation and society’s obsession with productivity. The film is part of the designer’s ongoing work that looks at the dark side of technology. The short four-minute, 360-degree-film documents the life of an unnamed accountant who unconsciously, and then consciously, merges with her AI-enhanced work station.

Work and the work station take over her life. She drinks a specially designed protein beverage instead of leaving for lunch. Mandatory exercise is hastily done at the desk and the only thing she sees all day are the work station’s screens and a never-ending stream of notifications and tasks. Her work station even sets up a date, which — not surprisingly — doesn’t go well. The protagonist’s life may seem too close for comfort for many of us office workers.

Takeaway: The conventional wisdom used to be that technology would make us more productive and give us more free time. But this hasn’t proved true. Laptops and smart phones — and WIFI everywhere — have provided freedom to work from wherever, but also all of the time. It doesn’t have to be this way. Improved Chatbot and virtual assistant technologies could free us from tasks we don’t want and help us reclaim our freedom. Matsuda’s stark portrayal offers an innovative approach to exploring deeper issues surrounding work-life balance and automation.

Website: www.km.cx
Contact: [email protected]

Published in: November 2018

Source: New feed 1