Relationships in the Digital Age
The Tech Elite Meet the President
Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg all sat shoulder to shoulder, almost as if on display, in front of some of the most important figures of the new administration. They were not the only tech leaders in Washington, DC, that week. Tim Cook, Sam Altman, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew also put in appearances during the president’s first days back in action.
A Need for Relationships
These are tycoons who lead trillion-dollar companies, set the direction of entire industries, and shape the lives of billions of people all over the world. They are among the richest and most powerful people who have ever lived. And yet, just like you and me, they need relationships to get things done. In this case, with President Trump.
Breaking with the Past
Some of those same people—most notably Zuckerberg—had to make profound breaks with their own pasts in order to forge or preserve a relationship with the incoming president.
What Are Relationships?
Relationships are the stories of people and systems working together. Sometimes by choice. Sometimes for practicality. Sometimes by force. Too often, for purely transactional reasons.
Exploring Relationships
That’s why we’re exploring relationships in this issue. Relationships connect us to one another, but also to the machines, platforms, technologies, and systems that mediate modern life. They’re behind the partnerships that make breakthroughs possible, the networks that help ideas spread, and the bonds that build trust—or at least access. In this issue, you’ll find stories about the relationships we forge with each other, with our past, with our children (or not-quite-children, as the case may be), and with technology itself.
AI Chatbots and Beyond
Rhiannon Williams explores the relationships people have formed with AI chatbots. Some of these are purely professional, others more complicated. This kind of relationship may be novel now, but it’s something we will all take for granted in just a few years.
The Ecological Past and the Future
Antonio Regalado delves into our relationship with the ecological past and the way ancient DNA is being used not only to learn new truths about who we are and where we came from but also, potentially, to address modern challenges of climate and disease.
IVF Embryos and the Future of Technology
Jessica Hamzelou examines people’s relationships with the millions of IVF embryos in storage. Held in cryopreservation tanks around the world, these embryos wait in limbo, in ever growing numbers, as we attempt to answer complicated ethical and legal questions about their existence and preservation.
Conclusion
Relationships are a vital part of modern life, whether it’s with people, technology, or the natural world. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the digital age, it’s essential to understand the ways in which relationships shape our lives and the world around us.
FAQs
Q: What does it mean to have a relationship?
A: A relationship is a connection between two or more people, organizations, or systems that is built on trust, communication, and mutual understanding.
Q: Why are relationships important?
A: Relationships are important because they can help us achieve our goals, build trust, and create a sense of belonging.
Q: What are some examples of relationships?
A: Some examples of relationships include relationships with family members, friends, colleagues, and technology, as well as relationships with the natural world and our past.
