Week 7

 Week 7 (2/19-2/25)

1. Reflect on your team's Final Research Video Project Planning.  How did you collaborate?  What tools did you use to communicate and produce? Is the process smooth, what will you do differently next time in large collaborative projects?

Our team's collaboration for the Final Research Video Project was both productive and insightful. I played an active role in proposing the structure of the video, suggesting that we divide it into three main components to effectively cover the AI race between China and the U.S. This structure included an introduction, a detailed analysis of each country's advancements in the political, technological and economic component (with at least two minutes dedicated to each team member's contribution), and a conclusion to tie everything together. Splitting the video into distinct sections minimized the risk of overlapping content and ensured that each team member could focus on their assigned part without redundancy. This approach also helped us meet the project guidelines efficiently.

To facilitate communication and planning, we used Discord for team meetings, where we discussed and shared bullet points outlining each side of the AI race. I took the initiative to conduct extensive research on the topic, which allowed me to contribute well-informed ideas during our discussions. After finalizing the structure, we moved forward with scripting and are now in the process of recording the shorter video, for which we already have a completed script.

Overall, this experience has been a valuable lesson in teamwork and project management, and I look forward to applying these insights to future collaborations. The only thing I would change is to know the guidelines of this video in advance so that we can plan and come up with more solid ideas. 

2. Please reflect on the Lecture readings in this section and what you have learned from this week's activities.

After watching the video Life After Death by Powerpoint, I want to highlight how important it is to keep the audience engaged, and creating presentations that are long and overwhelming is the best scenario to disengage people.

I chose the video on TED talk: the wonderful and terrifying implications of computers that can learn.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jeremy_howard_the_wonderful_and_terrifying_implications_of_computers_that_can_learn

It discusses the incredible advancements in machine learning and deep learning, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges they present. Computers, which once required detailed programming for every task, can now learn from data and perform complex tasks like playing games, recognizing images, translating languages, and even driving cars. For example, machine learning powers Google’s search algorithms, Netflix’s recommendations, and self-driving cars. Deep learning, inspired by the human brain, has enabled computers to surpass human performance in tasks like image recognition and medical diagnostics, even discovering new scientific insights in fields like cancer research. However, these advancements also raise concerns, as many jobs in service industries, which make up a large portion of employment, are now at risk of being automated. The rapid, exponential growth of machine learning capabilities means society must rethink economic and social structures to adapt to this new reality. While the potential for innovation is vast, the impact on employment and human roles in the workforce is a pressing issue that needs immediate attention.