Electronic Brains

I am an old-time movie enthusiast.

I’ll watch any movie with Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Montgomery Cliff, Grace Kelly or Katharine Hepburn. These oldies represent authentic movies to me—full of charm, and usually sweet love stories with happy endings.

Recently, my husband and I watched the romantic comedy “Desk Set.” In it, Katherine Hepburn plays a reference librarian. She’s responsible for researching and answering questions—the old fashioned way—by searching through stacks and stacks of books and by using the help of other librarians’ memories to find answers.

That until the library’s management decides to bring on Spencer Tracy’s character, an efficiency expert. Tracy is hired to help train the librarians to use two new computers, or at that time referred to as “electronic brains.” The idea of using machines to help in their work was a foreign and unwelcomed concept. The librarians believed that the computers were their replacements.

As the movie progresses, Hepburn and Tracy become romantically interested in each other. Soon after, everyone in the library, including the president, receives a pink slip printed on one of the new computers. As it turns out, the computer made an error. In the end, Spencer and Hepburn become involved. The movie subtly hints that computers can’t entirely replace humans. The personal aspect is still important.

“Desk Set” is a quaint and wholesome movie. Interestingly though, it shows human nature to initially at least, reject technology and view it as a threat.

“The Search” by John Battelle, offers a fascinating look into the labyrinthine world of Internet search technologies. Battelle, a leading expert on search, turns the history of search into an interesting story—full of conflict, rejection, persistence, triumph and love (well…a fond affection for search).  The book provides insights into the extraordinary future potential that search could one day provide.

Google’s story is central to the book. However, Battelle provides a historical glimpse into search well before Google reigned as the search champ. The interesting turn of events regarding search is Google’s good fortune. Many others, such as Bill Gross, inventor of “paid search,” and Jerry Yang, founder of Yahoo, helped to pave the way for Google. Regardless of timing or development ideas, the founders of Google brought innovation and their proprietary search algorithms, which remain at the heart of Google.

I am not an avid follower of science fiction movies, nor am I a paranoid person. I never seriously considered the concept that machines would realistically overtake Earth. However, after reading “The Search” I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of fear—an uncertainty whether Google could become even bigger than it already is and turn villainous.

I’ll admit, I watched the movie “Colossus” and “The Terminator” and on occasion have seen the TV show “Battlestar Galactica.” But I never thought that one entity—be it a computer or a company—could take over the world.

But I never thought that Google would cave in to the Chinese government and fiddle with search results. I also never thought that they would turn over private emails to the government either.

I’m not convinced that Google will become Skynet or Colossus, but I think the government should step in and consider limits to which a company can collect and distribute information on private citizens. Interestingly, Google’s CEO believes that the government should regulate Internet Service Providers.