Is it a Wasp or is it a Wasp? The Human Cost of Algorithmic Decision-Making: Why Connection and Judgement Matter

Abstract

This article argues that growing reliance on algorithmic decision-making and artificial intelligence threatens to erode human connection and judgement, and that the resulting disconnection between individuals and institutions carries risks that must not be underestimated. The author examines four areas. In medicine, doctors increasingly rely on test results and algorithmically generated recommendations, sometimes making diagnoses without seeing the patient, which risks missing subtleties that only face-to-face interaction can reveal. In employment, automated systems that shortlist candidates through keyword matching and predictive analytics may eliminate applicants before a human reviews their credentials. In information, algorithms designed to maximise engagement spread fake news, undermining trust and a shared sense of reality. In national security, citizens who feel alienated from decision-making and lose faith in institutions leave societies more vulnerable to manipulation by internal and external actors. Personal anecdotes, including the question asked by the author's mother that gives the article its title and the author's experience of interview panels, illustrate the value of direct human interaction and judgement. The article concludes that, while technological progress offers undeniable benefits, artificial intelligence and algorithms should be integrated with caution, recognising the irreplaceable value of human judgement and ensuring that technology enhances rather than diminishes collective humanity.

Abstract prepared by the editorial office from the full text of the article; the authors did not supply one.