Colonialism has consistently been a force in the global purview, including the technological space. In recent years, the expansion of artificial intelligence has vastly increased corporations’ global influence. As the world’s technologies continue to advance and innovate, individuals must keep a watchful eye on the ways in which digital colonialism might repeat harmful practices from the past.
Due to the popularity and booming business of video games, Hollywood studios have capitalized on popular game titles by developing new content based off of their intellectual property (IP). This study sets out to better understand video game IP’s impact on film and television markets and what specific elements might impact an adaptation’s success.
Sustainability and AI were at the forefront this year at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Future of Museums Summit. What role will museums play in creating climate-friendly communities? And how can AI be used to maximize efficiency, increase accessibility, and deepen engagement? Read key conference takeaways from Xueer Ho and Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford.
An overemphasis on data-driven work within the nonprofit sector has been shown to result in cycles of disempowerment, driven by third-party data demands of funding bodies.. This compounds due to the many market orientations nonprofits need to adopt, particularly prevalent among the arts. A key to navigating these markets and funder requirements lies in identifying a specific data culture best fit for your organization and investing in resources and training in order to achieve that framework sustainably.
With AI’s ability to automatically produce content and process complicated datasets with high accuracy, museums worldwide are exploring ways in which this innovative technology can help them better achieve their missions and advance accessibility efforts. Through case studies, learn about three applications of this technology: content digitalization, language accessibility, and visual description.
As issues surrounding AI and NFTs continue to come to light, conversations about ethical uses of technology become more complex. This month, we are taking a look at stories that address the issues of data privacy in AI technology, the ongoing legal battlefield of NFTs, and digital strategies in theatre.
Throughout my tenure as Chief Editor of Research at AMT Lab, I have focused on the benefits of the gaming industry for nonprofits, as well as the monopolistic tendencies and battles of Big Tech, specifically regarding arts and entertainment. Recently, these two worlds have collided, as a wave of consolidation in the gaming industry has raised a new set of antitrust concerns across the globe. In the center of it all? None other than Microsoft, a Big Tech giant that has evaded the antitrust spotlight over the past few years – until now. Due to the expanding value of the video gaming industry at over $300 billion, mergers and acquisitions seemed an obvious destiny bound for the trials and tribulations of antitrust litigation. Microsoft has successfully inserted itself into the gaming industry, incited the largest wave of consolidation that it has ever seen, and merged its dominant position in the sector with its Big Tech-skewed Metaverse goals.
In 2021, TikTok updated its privacy policy which allowed it to collect biometric data on its users, including faceprints and voiceprints. Rather than explicitly informing its users about this change, the app vaguely communicated that they were issuing a “privacy update.” Once people found out what the update entailed, concern rightfully grew. This type of data collection indicates a significant shift from companies collecting behavioral data on their consumers to something much more invasive and without true consent. Only 36% of Americans trust tech companies using facial recognition technology. In general, public trust in Big Tech has been steadily falling in the United States. Regardless, however, most people still click “accept” to the Terms & Conditions on any website without actually knowing what is being agreed to, indicating a disconnect between what US citizens expect from businesses and what is actually being conducted. With a lack of national protection, nonprofit organizations must assume responsibility in protecting personal consumer data and using it ethically.
Antitrust lawsuits in the United States had its historical beginnings with the Carnegie Steel and Standard Oil monopolies. The early 20th century was a time of trust-busting and a battle of government regulation of these industries, which were seemingly impossible to control due to their power through insurmountable wealth and market domination. Then, the 70s and 80s saw the trust busting of the Bell System in the sector of telephones and communication. Now, almost exactly a century after the passing of the antitrust laws and almost a half-century after the most recent conglomerate disaggregation, monopolies adjacent to the industry of telephone and communications run rampant in the United States – and the government is again facing difficulty in quelling their expansive power. This article will analyze three ongoing and one recently closed antitrust cases against Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, and Meta, and suggest effects that the rulings may have on how the nonprofit industry functions.
Upon broaching the subject of Big Tech, the consideration of arts organizations is often forgotten, and the focus is solely placed on Silicon Valley and the lucrative world within. But with the increased attention into the world of Big Tech (specifically Apple, Amazon, Alphabet [Google], and Meta [Facebook]) as a result of continual antitrust lawsuits, privacy violations, and the global struggle in creating effective policies to limit these companies’ powers, it is becoming more evident that the activities of Big Tech span across a variety of industries, the arts and nonprofit sector included. This article will provide an overview of the Big Tech monopoly over data and privacy through its cross-market domination and explain its effects on the nonprofit world.
