Weakness exploitation: Predicting socially communicative devices as a successor to internet-based graphical user interfaces

Li, Jamy; Chignell, Mark

Abstract

Existing theories of technology transitions cannot predict what new technological paradigm will supplant the currently leading, internet-enabled graphical user interface paradigm. This article introduces a preliminary approach (‘weakness exploitation’) to explain the rise and fall of four technology ‘empires’: print, television, the internet and socially interactive devices (such as robots, chatbots and internet of things devices). The approach is related to technology diffusion and disruptive innovation, but with a predictive element induced from Marshall McLuhan’s descriptions of print and television as ‘extensions’ of the senses. It is applied to the internet as an historical example of a technology transition outside of McLuhan’s original analysis and to explain why excessive exposure to screen-rendered digital media as the internet’s exclusive access point may be replaced by a new ‘age’ of computationally intelligent, socially communicative devices. This new approach can help researchers and technologists conceptualize transitions between usage of incumbent and emerging technologies.

Citation

Li, J., & Chignell, M. (2023). Weakness exploitation: Predicting socially communicative devices as a successor to internet-based graphical user interfaces. Explorations in Media Ecology, 22(1), 49–74. https://doi.org/10.1386/eme_00150_1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 10, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Mar 21, 2023
• Publication Date: Mar 21, 2023
• Deposit Date: May 7, 2024
• Journal: Explorations in Media Ecology
• Print ISSN: 1539-7785
• Electronic ISSN: 2048-0717
• Publisher: Intellect
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 49–74
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/eme_00150_1
• Keywords: conversational agents; innovation; internet of things; media ecology; media progression; philosophy of technology; robots; technology adoption
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3636816