Online services that use computers to interview job seekers were increasingly used by companies during the COVID-19 crisis. But the technology raises questions about whether a machine can correctly or fairly judge a person’s personality and reactions in front of a camera.

Dana Anthony is one job seeker who has experienced such interviews. One was for a part-time job at Target last year. The day after the interview, she got an email informing her that she was not chosen.

Anthony said she did not know why she was removed from consideration so quickly. She had no sense of how the interview had gone. She said this is because she received no human feedback during the process.

Her rejection email from Target stated: “We’re unable to provide specific feedback regarding your application.” Anthony was rejected for another job in December after completing another online interview.

One interview system is run by a business called HireVue, one of the leading companies in the field. In the past, the Utah-based HireVue used artificial intelligence(AI)methods to judge a job-seeker’s personality and job skills. It did this by observing the expressions on a person’s face during the interview.

But after facing intense criticism about the scientific effectiveness of its claims and the possibility of unfairness, HireVue announced earlier this year that it would stop using that method. However, the company’s AI-based system still considers speech and word choices when rating a candidate’s personality and skills.

HireVue helped create a market for “on-demand” video interviews. Companies using the services include stores Target and Ikea, technology companies like Amazon, and banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Companies in the oil and travel industries, and even school systems, have used them.

HireVue chief Kevin Parker said its systems, which turn speech into text to make verdicts on job skills, can perform better than human interviewers.

Tim Berners-Lee. If you don’t know his name, you’ve surely used his famous invention—the World Wide Web, a system we use to search for information on the Internet.

On Oct. 29, the Internet officially turned 50 years old. “This birthday must mark the moment we take on the fight for the Web we want.”

Speaking at the University of California, he pointed out three problems today: Web-criminal behavior, ad-based clickbait websites, and offensive online communication. These problems led Berners-Lee to create the Web Foundation and a contract for the Web. Both aimed to protect Internet users.

In the contract, he mentioned the need for companies to make sure that everyone had access to the Web, and called for a reduction in offensive material and more personal data privacy. The latter is a hot topic right now. Big companies, like Facebook, have misused users’ personal information by sharing it with advertisers.

Despite all of these bad sides, we shouldn’t forget about all the benefits the Internet brings.

In this digital age, the Internet connects the world through social media, and cashless payment has become an instant source of information. It can also make a positive difference through activities that push for positive change, education or aid.

One such campaign is Movember. The movement, held every November, encourages men to grow moustaches for the whole month, post pictures online, and donate. The charity promotes physical health, mental health, and suicide prevention for men.

Not to mention, the Internet is also a source of fun. From funny kitten videos on Weibo to your very own Tik Tok videos, the Internet allows you to share what you create.

As to the Web Foundation, Berners-Lee said, “The Web has become a public square, a library, a doctor’s office, a shop, and a school, and it has given marginalized groups a voice.” 

“In the next 30 years, if we give up trying to build a better Web...we will have failed it. We need to come together as a global community.”

With intelligent systems and new-age transit networks, life in the big cities will likely be happier and more efficient.

After all, more than 60 percent of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050, according to a UN report. The answer to making these cities more livable for so many people lies in creating “smart” cities. These cities will use 5G networks and the “internet of things” (IoT) to make everyday life safer and more convenient. Some cities are already using smart technology to improve the lives of residents.

But what exactly does a smart city do? In the United States cities of Boston and Baltimore, smart trash cans can sense how full they are and inform cleaning workers when they need to be emptied. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, traffic flow and energy usage are monitored and adjusted according to real-time data gathered from sensors (传感器) around the city. And in Copenhagen, Denmark, a smart bike system allows riders to check on air quality and traffic condition as they ride.

Smart cities will be interactive, allowing their residents to feel like they’re truly shaping their environment, instead of merely existing in it. “One of the most important reasons to have a smart city is that we can actually communicate with our environment in a way that we never have in the past,” said Mrinalini Ingram, head of a telecom company.

“Smart cities will also allow us to save resources.” said Mrinalini Ingram.“By using sensors and 5G networks to monitor the use of water, gas and electricity, city managers can figure out how to distribute and save these resources more efficiently. Emissions of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants can be more closely monitored in smart cities as well.”

Of course, it will take time and money to turn our current cities into the smart cities of the future. But as we’ve already seen, more cities around the world are already adopting smart technology in small ways. China, for instance, is making investments in big cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou to make them “smarter”. It won’t be long until even more cities start to develop their own smart infrastructure (基础设施).