
In 2023, the tech industry saw a major shift with Silicon Valley’s big players racing to become artificial intelligence companies following the success of ChatGPT. The shift came amid an uncertain tech economy marked by layoffs and pivots. However, not everything went smoothly, with misbehaving chatbots, crypto dilemmas, and bank failures happening throughout the year.
In the annual Good Tech Awards column, the focus was on the beneficial tech projects of the year that utilized artificial intelligence for the greater good. The article highlighted progress in areas such as accessibility, gene editing, ancient deciphering, self-driving cars, and government regulation of AI through the involvement of organizations like the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Standout projects included Be My Eyes’ use of AI to aid blind and low-sighted individuals, Apple’s implementation of Personal Voice, the first FDA-approved gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease, A.I.’s role in deciphering ancient scrolls, the slow and methodical approach of Waymo in self-driving technology, and the involvement of agencies like NIST in regulating AI.
The larger narrative of the article was to move away from the ongoing debates about AI’s effects on the world and focus on the practical benefits of AI today. The piece expressed appreciation for the significant contributions made by various tech projects to improve the lives of individuals and advance humanity using artificial intelligence.