Not long ago, forgetting a phone number was unthinkable. Directions were written down or memorized. Basic arithmetic was done in one’s head. Today, a dead smartphone battery can render a person nearly helpless, unable to navigate, recall a number, or even order dinner without an app.
Technology has made life easier, but it has also made humans startlingly dependent. Every aspect of modern existence—communication, education, transportation, security—relies on a web of digital systems, and when those systems fail, the results can be chaotic. The CrowdStrike IT outage in July 2024 offered a sobering reminder. The failure of a single software update disrupted hospitals, airports, banks, and businesses, leaving millions locked out of their own computers. The world, it seemed, had no backup plan.
Education, too, is in the grip of this transformation. A recent study found that while 86 percent of students use artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT for schoolwork, more than half worry that it weakens their ability to think critically. Teachers, once the gatekeepers of knowledge, now compete with AI chatbots that produce instant answers—often compelling, sometimes flawed, but always available.
In the workplace, automation and artificial intelligence are hailed as efficiency boosters, yet cybersecurity experts warn of the dangers of blind trust. While AI-driven security tools can detect threats at speeds no human can match, they are prone to false alarms and misinterpretations. A December 2024 report from ISACA cautioned that overreliance on automation leaves organizations vulnerable, as human oversight remains essential for distinguishing real threats from digital noise.
The reliance on technology extends beyond screens and software. Modern cars, equipped with automated braking and self-parking features, promise safer roads. But a 2023 survey found that nearly a third of drivers who use these features fear they are losing basic driving skills. If a system fails, will they still know how to parallel park, navigate a skid, or judge a safe following distance without the aid of sensors?
Yet the most profound shift may be in how technology shapes society itself. In The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley, published in 2024, former European Parliament member Marietje Schaake argues that tech companies wield more power over governance, commerce, and public discourse than most elected officials. The perception of government as slow and inefficient, she writes, is often fueled by the very industry that profits from sidelining traditional institutions.
None of this suggests that technology is the enemy. It is not. But a world that cannot function without it is a world with a problem. Convenience has its cost, and the more people outsource thinking, remembering, and decision-making to machines, the more they risk losing essential skills. The challenge is not to abandon technology but to ensure that, should it falter, humans are still capable of standing on their own.