Lesson Plan: Your Next Boss Just Might Be A Machine
II. While Reading Activities
- gobble |ˈɡäbəl| verb [with object] (of a large organization or other body) incorporate or take over (a smaller one): he amassed his packaging empire by gobbling up National Can Corporation.
- speedometer |spəˈdämidər| noun-an instrument on a vehicle’s dashboard indicating its speed.
- empathetic |ˌempəˈTHedik| adjective showing an ability to -understand and share the feelings of another: she’s compassionate and empathetic towards her daughter | I have been touched by the empathetic response to my bad luck.
- tally |ˈtalē| verb (tallies, tallying, tallied) [with object] calculate the total number of: the votes were being tallied with abacuses.
- A.I. |ˌeɪ ˈaɪ| noun artificial intelligence |ˌärdəˈfiSHəl inˈteləjəns| (abbreviation AI) the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.
- efficiency |əˈfiSHənsē| noun (plural efficiencies) the state or quality of being efficient: greater energy efficiency.
- algorithm |ˈalɡəˌriT͟Həm| noun-a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer: a basic algorithm for division.
- dispute |diˈspyo͞ot| noun- a disagreement, argument, or debate: a territorial dispute between the two countries | the question in dispute is altogether insignificant.
- intervene |ˌin(t)ərˈvēn| verb [no object] 1 come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events: he acted outside his authority when he intervened in the dispute | [with infinitive] : their forces intervened to halt the attack.
- software |ˈsôf(t)wer| noun-the programs and other operating information used by a computer.
Grammar Focus: Structure and Usage
I-1-used
Cogito is one of several A.I. programs used in call centers.
II-2-people’s
It actually changes people’s behavior without them knowing about it.
III-1-by
Some wonder why anyone would want to be judged by a computer.
Reading Comprehension Fill-ins
The best argument for workplace A.I. may be situations in which human bias skews decision-making, such as hiring. Pymetrics, a New York start-up, has made inroads in the corporate hiring world by replacing the traditional résumé screening process with an A.I. program that uses a series of games to test for relevant skills. The algorithms are then analyzed to make sure they are not creating biased hiring outcomes, or favoring one group over another.
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