《經濟學人》180331-AI Spy AI間諜

04-11

更多《經濟學人》、《老友記》地道口語，請關注【迷路的指南針】

As it pushes beyond the tech industry, artificial intelligence could make workplaces fairer—or more oppressive

在技術領域之外，AI可以讓辦公室更公平，或者更殘酷。

ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) is barging its way into business. As our special report this week explains, firms of all types are harnessing AI to forecast demand, hire workers and deal with customers. In 2017 companies spent around $22bn on AIl related mergers and acquisitions, about 26 times more than in 2015.The McKinsey Global Institute, a think-tank within a consultancy, reckons that just applying AI to marketing, sales and supply chains could create economic value, including profits and efficiencies, of $2.7 trn over the next 20 years. Google』s boss has gone so far as to declare that AI will do more for humanity than fire or electricity.

人工智慧（AI）已經大舉進入商業領域。在本周的特別報道中，各個領域的公司正在利用AI預測需求，僱傭員工，處理客戶需求。2017年公司用於合併和收購AI公司的總額為220億美元，這一數字是2015年的26倍。資訊公司麥肯錫聲稱僅僅是在營銷、銷售和供應鏈領域應用AI技術，在今後的20年內，其產出的利潤和提高的效率可達2700億美元。谷歌老闆一直宣稱，對比火和電，AI能夠發揮的價值要大得多。

句式

barging its way into 大舉進入某個領域
harnessing AI to forecast demand 使用AI技術進行預測

【小結】

開頭通過諮詢公司和谷歌大佬對AI的預測，顯示出AI的光明前景。

Such grandiose forecasts kindle anxiety as well as hope. Many fret that AI could destroy jobs faster than it creates them. Barriers to entry from owning and generating data could lead to a handful of dominant firms in every industry.

這些前景光明的預測不僅點燃了人們的希望，同時也引發了焦慮。很多人擔憂AI搶奪工作的速度要比創造崗位的速度更快。擁有和產生數據的壁壘將使得各個領域最終只有少數公司能夠佔據主導地位。

生詞

grandiose /ɡr?nd?os/ 雄偉的，宏大的 adj. 【GRE】
fret /fr?t/ 煩惱，焦慮 v. n.

句式

kindle anxiety as well as hope 一半希望，一半焦慮
barriers to 做...的壁壘
a handful of dominant firms 少數頭部公司

【小結】

對AI技術應用後的擔心。

Less familiar, but just as important, is how AI will transform the workplace. Using AI, managers can gain extraordinary control over their employees. Amazon has patented a wristband that tracks the hand movements of warehouse workers and uses vibrations to nudge them into being more efficient. Workday, a software firm, crunches around 60 factors to predict which employees will leave. Humanyze, a startup, sells smart ID badges that can track employees around the office and reveal how well they interact with colleagues.

儘管與人們的普遍印象不同，但同樣重要的，是AI對辦公領域的改變。藉助AI技術，經理可以嚴格監管員工。亞馬遜為一款手環申請了專欄，該手環可以追蹤庫房工人手臂移動的軌跡，並通過振動來協助他們提高效率。一家名為Workday的軟體公司，為了推斷員工的離職情況，深入分析了60種相關因素。還有一家名為Humanyze的創業公司，出售一款智能ID徽章，可以追蹤辦公室員工的運動軌跡，並藉此來判斷與其他同事的互動情況。

生詞

nudge /n?d?/ 推動，輕推 v.

有一本英文書的名字就叫Nudge，中文版名為《助推》

crunch /kr?nt?/ 咬碎，碾壓
這裡顯然不是基本含義，查找LDOCE，在最下方的釋義中發現：to do very complicated calculations on large amounts of DATA (=information stored on a computer) in order to find out about something,通過分析儲存在計算機中的大量複雜數據來達到某種目的的行為；這才是這個詞在本句真正的含義

句式

Less familiar, but just as important 儘管與常識不同，但同樣重要
gain extraordinary control over 對...嚴密監管
has patented 為...申請專利（很靈活的用法）
nudge them into being 協助...做...

【小結】

舉例說明，AI在辦公領域的應用。

Surveillance at work is nothing new. Factory workers have longclocked in and out; bosses can already see what idle workers do on their computers. But AI makes ubiquitous surveillance worthwhile, because every bit of data is potentially valuable. Few laws govern how data are collected at work, and many employees unguardedly consent to surveillance when they sign their employment contract. Where does all this lead?

對工作情況進行監管並不是什麼新鮮事。一直以來，工廠工人上下班就要打卡；老闆們在電腦前就可以看到無所事事的員工在忙些什麼。但是AI讓無處不在的監管變得有價值，因為每一個微小的數據都有潛在價值。幾乎沒有法律對辦公領域的數據收集做出規定，而且很多員工根本沒有意識到簽署勞動合同就意味著默認監管。這會有怎樣的影響呢？

生詞

ubiquitous /jub?kw?t?s/ 無處不在的 adj. 【GRE】

句式

is nothing new ...不是新鮮事
consent to surveillance 同意監管

【小結】

AI在改造辦公領域得到發展的體現和原因。

Trust and telescreens 信任向左，監管向右

Start with the benefits. AI ought to improve productivity. Humanyze merges data from its badges with employees』 calendars and e-mails to workout, say, whether office layouts favour teamwork. Slack, a workplace messaging app, helps managers assess how quickly employees accomplish tasks. Companies will see when workers are not just dozing off but also misbehaving. They are starting to use AI to screen for anomalies in expense claims, flagging receipts from odd hours of the night more efficiently than a carbon-based beancounter can.

先從好處說起。AI可以用來改善生產效率。Humanyze公司綜合徽章中收集的關於員工日程、郵件和健身的數據，能夠判斷出辦公室布局是否有利於團隊合作。Slack是一家提供辦公信息軟體，能夠幫助老闆查看員工的工作效率。今後有些公司不僅可以判斷員工是否偷懶，還可以防止他們犯錯。公司使用AI技術篩查異常報銷；標註夜間時段的收據，並且比會計工作效率更高。

生詞

screen /skrin/ 篩選，屏幕，檢查，診斷，屏障等 n. v.
flag 紅旗，

還是不相信本意，還是查LDOCE找到如下釋義：to put a special mark against a piece of writing or an email to show that it is important. 通過在紙條或郵件中做特殊標記，以顯示重要內容。關於財務的工作性質，報銷的支出越少，公司成本越低，所以對出納來說，異常的報銷就是她們重點關注的內容，符合語境；
對於odd hours，我的理解是報銷有時間限制，比如我們公司出差打車的時間有限制，除非特殊情況，否則僅限06：00之前，21：00之後打車，否則不予報銷。如果AI技術收到晚上19：00打車的票子，那麼根據規定就可以標註異常。

carbon-based 「碳基的」，這個說法是相對AI代表的機器來說的，人類的主要構成是碳水化合物（carbohydrate），所以叫「碳基」；AI背後支撐的軟體是以計算機為主，計算機主要構成是silicon，所以叫「硅基」；
beancounter 直譯「數豆子的人」，意為精打細算的會計，「比精打細算的會計」效率更高，也暗示著AI技術在控制成本方面有很大前景

句式

start with the benefits 先說好的；可用於陳述利弊時引出話題；對應的「後說壞的方面」，可以是「Then come with the drawbacks」；
They are starting to use AI to screen for anomalies in expense claims, flagging receipts from odd hours of the night more efficiently than a carbon-based beancounter can. 整句話都很經典，很「經濟學人」

【小結】

AI技術在辦公領域的實際應用場景。

Employees will gain, too. Thanks to strides in computer vision, AI can check that workers are wearing safety gear and that no one has been harmed on the factory floor. Some will appreciate more feedback on their work and welcome a sense of how to do better. Cogito, a startup, has designed AI-enhanced software that listens to customer-service calls and assigns an 「empathy score」 based on how compassionate agents are and how fast and how capably they settle complaints.

員工也將因此受益。由於計算機的大幅推廣，AI可以檢測員工是否佩戴防護措施，因此在工廠內部受傷。有些員工希望獲得工作反饋以便提高效率。一家名為Cogito的創業公司設計了一款AI增強軟體，可以接聽用戶電話，並且可以根據員工的同情度、反應速度和處理投訴的情況來分配「同情分」。

生詞

stride /stra?d/ 大踏步，跨步 v. n.

【小結】

員工能夠藉助AI有哪些益處。

Machines can help ensure that pay rises and promotions go to those who deserve them. That starts with hiring. People often have biases but algorithms, if designed correctly, can be more impartial. Software can flag patterns that people might miss. Textio, a startup that uses AIto improve job descriptions, has found that women are likelier to respond to a job that mentions 「developing」 a team rather than 「managing」 one. Algorithms will pick up differences in pay between genders and races, as well as sexual harassment and racism that human managers consciously or unconsciously overlook.

機器演算法從招聘階段，就能夠真正幫助那些升職加薪的人。人難免有偏見，但是只要設計合理，演算法可以做到不偏不倚。軟體可以檢測到人類忽視的模式。Textio是一家藉助AI技術改善簡歷的創業公司，其發現相對於「管理」一個團隊的描述，女性求職者更傾向於「打造」一個團隊。演算法可以檢測到不同性別和種族之間的薪資差異，以及性騷擾和種族歧視對薪資的影響，而這些是人類管理者有意無意忽略掉的。

生詞

racism /res?z?m/ 種族主義

句式

ensure that pay rises and promotions go to those who deserve them 升職加薪，實至名歸
likelier to respond B rather than A 與A相比，更傾向於B

【小結】

AI在辦公領域的應用可以消除人類偏見的影響。

Yet AI』s benefits will come with many potential drawbacks. Algorithms may not be free of the biases of their programmers. They can also have unintended consequences. The length of a

commute may predict whether an employee will quit a job, but this focus may inadvertently harm poorer applicants. Older staff might work more slowly than younger ones and could risk losing their positions if all AI looks for is productivity.

但是AI也有很多潛在的缺點。演算法的公正性受其編程人員的影響，也會有些意料之外的副作用。通勤時間的長短可以用來預測員工是否有離職意願，但這種導向不可避免地會對家境不好的求職者造成傷害。相對於年輕員工，年長員工效率較低，如果AI都把生產率當做考量目標的話，年長者可能面臨失業風險。

生詞

unintended /??n?nt?nd?d/ 無意識的 adj.

句式

inadvertently harm 不可避免地傷害
if all AI looks for is productivity 所有AI技術把產量當做目標

【小結】

AI對職場人的「副作用」。

And surveillance may feel Orwellian—a sensitive matter now that people have begun to question how much Facebook and other tech giants know about their private lives. Companies are starting to monitor how much time employees spend on breaks. Veriato, a software firm, goes so far as to track and log every keystroke employees make on their computers in order to gauge how committed they are to their company. Firms can use AI to sift through not just employees』 professional communications but their social-media profiles, too. The clue is in Slack』s name, which stands for 「searchable log of all conversation and knowledge」.

監管會讓人覺得監管太嚴格--近日來隨著人們開始質疑臉書和其他科技巨頭以來，這個話題變得很敏感。公司開始監控員工休息時長。一家名為Veriato的軟體公司已經通過追蹤和記錄員工敲擊鍵盤的間隙，來判斷他們對工作的忠誠度。公司不僅可以利用AI篩選工作談話，還可以瀏覽社交媒體資料。從Slack公司的名稱（Slack是searchable log of all conversation and knowledge的首字母縮寫，意為「可搜索的談話和知識記錄）就可以看出端倪。

生詞

sift /s?ft/ 篩選，過濾【GRE】

句式

the clue is in 線索在...

【小結】

AI監管過於嚴格，雖然技術上效率更高，成本更低，卻離人性化越來越遠。

Tracking the trackers 如何應對過度監管？

Some people are better placed than others to stop employers going too far. If your skills are in demand, you are more likely to be able to resist than if you are easy to replace. Paid-by-the hour workers in low-wage industries such as retailing will be especially vulnerable. That could fuel a resurgence of labour unions seeking to represent employees』 interests and to set norms. Even then, the choice in some jobs will be between being replaced by a robot or being treated like one.

對於反對過度監管方面，有些人比另一些更有話語權。如果你有稀缺技能，那麼你的不可替代性會更強。首當其衝的是按時薪計算工資的低端行業從業者，比如零售業。這會讓代表員工利益，設定標準的工會再次復甦。即使到那時候，有些工作仍然處於要麼「被機器取代」，要麼「像機器一樣工作」的狀態。

生詞

resurgence /r??s?d??ns/ 復甦【GRE】

句式

some people are better placed than others 在某些事方面，一些人比另一些更適合
in demand 緊缺，供不應求
Paid-by-the hour workers 拿時薪的工人
between...or...要麼A，要麼B

【小結】

要抵抗AI的監管，做好職業規劃很重要。

As regulators and employers weigh the pros and cons of AI in the workplace, three principles ought to guide its spread. First, data should be anonymised where possible. Microsoft, for example, has a product that shows individuals how they manage their time in the office, but gives managers information only in aggregated form. Second, the use of AI ought to be transparent. Employees should be told what technologies are being used in their workplaces and which data are being gathered. As a matter of routine, algorithms used by firms to hire, fire and promote should be tested for bias and unintended consequences. Last, countries should let individuals request their own data, whether they are ex-workers wishing to contest a dismissal or job seekers hoping to demonstrate their ability to prospective employers.

在監管者和僱主權衡AI在工作場所利弊的同時，有三條原則需要遵守。一，數據應儘可能匿名。比如微軟推出一款展示員工時間管理的產品，但是交給經理的信息是匯總後的表格。二，AI的使用應該透明化。僱員應該被告知，在辦公場所使用了何種技術，會收集何種數據。按理說，由公司用於僱傭、解僱和晉陞的演算法應該進行偏見和非預料結果測試。最後，無論是前員工對解僱有異議，還是求職者要向未來僱主展示能力，國家都應該允許個人提取數據。

生詞

anonymise /?n?nimaiz/ 匿名 v.

注意英美拼寫的不同：anonymise（英）； anonymize（美），發音和含義沒差別

contest 競賽n. ；質疑 v.

兩個含義，作名詞「競賽」時，發音為/?k?ntest/；作動詞「質疑」時，發音為 /k?n?test/，本文中是「質疑」的意思；

dismissal /d?sm?sl/ 解僱，免職 v.
prospective /pr?sp?kt?v/ 未來的

句式

weigh the pros and cons 權衡利弊
as a matter of routine 按照慣例
unintended consequences 不可預知的結果

wiki傳送門：https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unintended_consequences
這裡多說一句：清明節期間把李笑來老師《財富自由之路》這本書看完，書的後半部分幾次提到一個詞，叫做serendipity，是「意外驚喜」的意思，指的是他寫作、投資、控制情緒這麼久以來，一步步走到今天收穫了很多意料之外的東西。我在訂閱他得到專欄的時候，有幾篇文章就感觸很深，再結合自己今年的種種經歷，確實對於「莫問前程，但行好事」這幾個字的意味，所以對serendipity這個詞印象格外深。
翻譯TE近一年了，有過中斷，進入2018以來才持續每周更新，真正當一件事來做。每個生詞、每個句式都按照自己的實際水平對照來做，不認識不熟悉覺得驚艷的用法，統統標註出來，便於以後查看。今天在wiki里查unintended consequences這個釋義，發現裡面第一個釋義「unexpected benefit"後面，恰好出現了李老師很喜歡的serendipity這個詞，這對我來說，也算是一個serendipity了。

【小結】

TE慣例，在文章最後給出客觀、實用的「乾貨」解決方案。

The march of AI into the workplace calls for trade-offs between privacy and performance. A fairer, more productive workforce is a prize worth having, but not if it shackles and dehumanises employees. Striking a balance will require thought, a willingness for both employers and employees to adapt, and a strong dose of humanity.

辦公場所智能化需要在隱私和效率之間平衡。更加公平和高效的辦公工件固然值得期待，但不應該束縛、壓制員工。要達到這種平衡，需要僱主和僱員雙方互相協調，以及貼心的人文關懷。

生詞

trade-offs /?tred??f/ 交換，平衡
shackle /??kl/ 束縛【GRE】

句式

the march of AI into 推廣AI的艱難過程
is a prize worth having, but not if ...值得做，但不能以犧牲...為前提
striking a balance will require 取得平衡需要做到...
a strong dose of humanity 更貼心的人文關懷

【總結】

想到去年聽李開復老師的一場講人工智慧的live，利用AI理財的收益竟然比他高薪聘請的金融理財師收益高3倍。自動駕駛、律師、翻譯、甚至醫生都已經局部採用人工智慧來代替人工，這些職業消失也只是時間問題。要對抗AI，就不要做流水線、機械性強的工作，多與人溝通（教師、諮詢、心理醫生、設計等）的工作，才可能暫時保身。