This year saw numerous technological failures. It’s said that one learns more from failures than successes. If that’s true, this list is quite educational: MIT Technology Review’s annual list of the biggest flops and fiascos in technology. Some mishaps were amusing, like Google’s “woke” AI, which got into trouble for depicting black Nazis. Others led to lawsuits, such as the Crowdstrike computer error that left thousands of Delta passengers stranded.
Startups also faced failures after competing for growth during a period of low interest rates from 2020 to 2022. When economic conditions changed and money became less available, many ambitious projects, from vertical farms to carbon credits, couldn’t turn a profit and led to bankruptcies.
Woke AI Error
Many worry about bias in artificial intelligence. But what happens when bias is intentionally added? Google’s Gemini AI, launched last year, was overzealous in showcasing diversity. For instance, asking Google for an image of German soldiers from World War II would result in an ad-like image with diverse soldiers. Critics pounced, and Google had to pause Gemini’s ability to depict people, admitting its efforts missed the mark.
Boeing’s “Starliner”
Boeing faced issues with its delayed reusable spacecraft “Starliner,” meant to take NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. A mission in June had to return empty due to helium leaks and thruster problems. Boeing’s CEO stepped down, and the company faced other challenges, including fines related to the 737 Max’s safety issues.
Crowdstrike Outage
On July 19, many Windows computers displayed the “blue screen of death” due to a faulty update from cybersecurity company Crowdstrike. Delta Airlines, a Crowdstrike client, canceled 7,000 flights and sued the company for $500 million, claiming it caused a “global catastrophe.”
Vertical Farms
Bowery, a startup for vertical farming, raised over $700 million but went bankrupt. Despite claims that vertical farms were more productive, Bowery’s lettuce was expensive, and a plant infection caused supply issues.
Exploding Pagers
In Lebanon, pagers exploded as part of a clever attack by Israel, which sold explosive-filled pagers to the Hezbollah group. This incident led to injuries and deaths, raising questions about the ethics of such tactics.
23andMe
Genetic testing company 23andMe faced declining stock prices and a data leak. The company struggled to profit from its large genetic research platform.
AI Waste
AI-generated content, often referred to as “AI waste,” is flooding the internet. While sometimes entertaining, it’s usually misleading and not fact-checked, aiming primarily for clicks.
Voluntary Carbon Markets
Carbon markets, where companies offset emissions by funding environmental projects, faced challenges. Nori and Running Tide, two companies in this space, ceased operations due to low demand and credibility issues. Fraudulent activities also plagued the market, with legal actions taken against schemes involving non-existent emission reductions.
This article was written by Antonio Regalado, an editor at MIT Technology Review, who covers biomedical topics.