Interlinked Computing in 2040 : Safety, Truth, Ownership and Accountability

Weir, Charles and Dyson, Anna and Jogunola, Olamide and Dennis, Louise and Paxton-Fear, Katie (2024) Interlinked Computing in 2040 : Safety, Truth, Ownership and Accountability. Computer, 57 (1). pp. 59-68. ISSN 0018-9162

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Abstract

Computer systems are increasingly linked together, with systems controlled by different parties cooperating to deliver services. Such links offer both huge benefits and possible risks. Both the potential benefits and risks may be magnified as novel technologies such as Artificial Intelligence are integrated into these toolchains. What are these risks, and how might we begin to address them? Using a Delphi-based method, we interviewed twelve experts at envisaging technology futures to gain insight into likely trends, their impact on society, and how we might start to mitigate negative impacts. From the results, we highlight five forecasts, and six possible interventions that could help. The forecasts include major challenges related to Artificial Intelligence and system complexity, particularly where these involve interactions between independent systems. Addressing these challenges using the suggested interventions offers a good strategy to prepare ourselves for 2040.