Algorithms Control Our Lives: Are They Benevolent Rulers Or Evil Dictators?

From phone apps and GPS maps to music recommendations and artificial intelligence, our lives are increasingly molded by algorithms. Sets of instructions for completing tasks or solving problems, algorithms are the governing principles of our age--the underlying equations that help us make decisions, and, in some cases, make decisions for us. Are these life recipes a force for good or ill? Pew surveyed 1,302 experts of various stripes--futurists, academics, coders, IT guys and girls--and opinions were split. Asked if the "net overall effect" for individuals and society would be positive or negative in the next decade, 38% said the positives would outpace the negatives, while 37% saw it the other way.