Honey, I Shrunk the Ids

AI, Google Duplex, the automation of humans, and what happens when saving time means obviating the body

This will surprise absolutely nobody, but it happens that we make decisions based on how much space we can cover in what amount of time. In other words, how quickly we can get from A to B.

By example: We’d often rather bike than walk, drive rather than bike, and fly rather than drive, all to “save time”.

Hence the popularity of everything from HOV lanes to Express Checkout lines to priority boarding for Delta Gold members.

We’d also rather do the exact opposite.

As in, we’d prefer to walk rather than bike, or bike rather than drive, or drive rather than fly, all in order to “spend time”.

Hence the popularity of everything from day spas and saunas to the perambulating paths of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

But, except with regard to, say, conversations about the Container Store, we don’t often speak about “saving space” or “spending space” — even tho, of course, space is exactly the medium by and through which we “spend” or “save” time. After all, every “saving” of time is the use of space more quickly, and every “spending” of time is the use of space less quickly. Or to put it…