Most Americans don’t want AI to have a say in whether or not they get a job.

That’s according to a recent Pew Research Center survey that polled around 11,000 adults about their attitudes toward algorithms in the workplace. Around two-thirds said they wouldn’t want to apply for a role if AI was used to make a hiring decision, citing worries about systemic bias and an absent “personal touch” when it comes to traits that transcend a resumé.

“It would lack or overlook the human factor,” one woman in her 40s told the surveyors.

The report comes as tools that automate the winnowing of candidate pools have become more widespread than ever. The Society of Human Resource Management found that nearly one in four organizations plans to start using or increase their use of AI tools in hiring and recruitment over the next five years.

“There is so much conversation right now around the potential impacts of AI in the workplace, and so many real-world implications for people,” Pew Research Associate Colleen McClain, one of the authors of the report, told Tech Brew. “We really wanted to bring Americans’ own voices into this conversation.”

Keep reading here.—PK

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The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) says that agricultural equipment giant John Deere is refusing to comply with the terms of its General Public License (GPL) software—and it’s demanding that the company release source code that will allow farmers to repair their own tractors.

At issue is John Deere’s alleged practice of restricting access to software tools that run on modern farm equipment, which critics say prevents farmers from overriding software locks that trigger when sensors and control systems on farm equipment detect failures, and can’t be undone without the assistance of dealerships. Lack of access to source code also prevents farmers from implementing customized functionality.

The SFC says that because Deere machinery contains copyleft code such as Linux distributions, it’s required to release rather than restrict access to it.

Keep reading here.—TM

Coworking is a weekly segment where we spotlight Tech Brew readers who work with emerging technologies. Click here if you’d like a chance to be featured.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in tech?

I used to have trouble explaining the kind of AI I cover to people who might associate it more with science fiction. But ever since the release of ChatGPT, almost everybody has a basic knowledge of it and, most likely, an opinion as well. I’ve found this to be the case with a lot of other technologies that seem to be on the cusp and then go on to have some breakout moment. So I guess I would say I write about technologies that could shape people’s lives at some point in the future.

What emerging tech are you most optimistic about? Least? And why?

It’s not an area that I’ve covered much, but I’m very interested to see how new AI-powered databases of predicted protein fold structures might lead to new discoveries in biology and drug development.

I’m not necessarily optimistic about the effects of the current wave of generative AI, but I think it will have a huge impact. It is encouraging to see that a lot of people of different backgrounds are now coming together to think critically about the direction this technology will take.

I’m least optimistic about cryptocurrencies and NFTs, which I think are too often speculation scams with no real purpose.

What’s the best piece of tech-related media you’ve read/watched/listened to?

I went to the startup Runway’s first AI Film Festival earlier this year, and it was amazing to see how professional filmmakers and animators have started to use AI in ways that elevate rather than replace art.

One thing we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile?

I have a 10-year-old tortoiseshell cat named Maya who loves to interrupt my video calls.

What do you think about when you’re not thinking about tech?

I spend a lot of time biking around New York City, including commuting to the office when the weather is nice. Lately, I have been running and swimming more, too, in hopes of eventually doing a triathlon.

Stat: $71. That’s the average annual tax burden for a gas-powered vehicle in Texas, CNET reported, citing Consumer Reports. That’s 35% of what EV owners will be expected to pay after Texas lawmakers passed a bill requiring EV owners to pay “an annual $200 registration and renewal fee for their vehicles.”

Quote: “We want to communicate with our customers through all platforms, but we need a platform that is reliant and consistent and up to date.”—Shanifah Rieara, the MTA’s acting chief customer officer and senior advisor, to Bloomberg about New York City’s mass-transit system eschewing Twitter as a way to send real-time service updates

Read: Brace yourself for the 2024 deepfake election (Wired)

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Catch up on the top Tech Brew stories from the past few editions:

• Is that image real or AI-generated? Adobe-led initiative aims to answer just that
• AI took center stage in Microsoft, Google, and Meta’s earnings calls
• Are virtual humans worth the cost of putting a face on AI?