INSTRUCTIONS
- Answer all the questions.
- In your answers, you should construct a sustained line of reasoning.
- Marks will be awarded for using technical terminology and referring to specific stakeholders.
Question 1: Automated Manufacturing
A company replaces its manual assembly line with an automated robotic system to build smartphones.
Discuss the impact of this decision on the company and its employees. Include ethical and cultural issues in your answer. [8]
Question 2: Facial Recognition in Retail
A supermarket installs facial recognition cameras to identify "known shoplifters" as they enter the store.
Discuss the positive and negative impacts of this technology. Include ethical, legal, and privacy issues. [8]
Question 3: Software Licensing for Schools
A school is choosing between a proprietary VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) and an open-source alternative.
Discuss the features, benefits, and drawbacks of each licence and make a recommendation to the school. [8]
Question 4: Remote Medical Monitoring
A hospital gives elderly patients wearable devices that monitor heart rates and alert doctors automatically.
Discuss the impact of this technology on the hospital and the patients. Include ethical and privacy issues. [8]
Question 5: Social Media AI
A social media platform uses AI to automatically scan and delete posts that contain "toxic" language.
Discuss the positive and negative uses of AI in this context. Include legal, ethical, and privacy issues. [8]
Question 6: The Digital Upgrade Cycle
A smartphone manufacturer releases a new flagship model every 6 months, intentionally making older models incompatible with new software.
Discuss the impact of this "planned obsolescence." Include environmental and ethical issues. [8]
Question 7: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
A company allows employees to use their personal tablets and phones for work purposes to save on hardware costs.
Discuss the issues surrounding BYOD. Include legal, ethical, and privacy issues. [8]
Question 8: Smart Cities and Surveillance
A city installs "Smart Streetlights" that track the movement of every car and pedestrian to manage traffic.
Discuss the impacts of this system on the city's inhabitants. Include privacy and ethical issues. [8]
Question 9: AI in Scientific Research
A pharmaceutical company uses AI to test millions of chemical combinations for a new medicine, replacing dozens of human scientists.
Discuss the issues surrounding this decision. Include ethical, legal, and cultural issues. [8]
Question 10: Connectivity in Isolated Areas
A remote mountain village is connected to high-speed satellite internet for the first time.
Discuss the impact on the village inhabitants and local businesses. Include ethical and privacy issues. [8]