Digitalisation, AI, and the Paradoxes of an Open Society – Thoughts on a Changing World

Introduction

Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are transforming every industry and aspect of society. These technologies bring both opportunities and paradoxes: they can increase efficiency, but they also raise questions about privacy, inequality, and the future of human work. The restaurant industry, often seen as one of the last strongholds of human labour, offers a particularly illustrative case. By looking at kitchens, wait staff, and restaurant management, we can see how digitalisation and AI are gradually reshaping an industry that relies heavily on personal interaction and tradition.

The paradox of an open society is that while digitalisation promises progress, it also generates new vulnerabilities. Innovations spread quickly across borders, but legislation, cultural norms, and ethical considerations evolve much more slowly. This creates gaps that can be exploited and risks that remain unaddressed. By reflecting on the restaurant industry, GDPR, and tools like ChatGPT, we can better understand how these contradictions play out in everyday life.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of a restaurant. While service and atmosphere matter, if the food is poor, no one returns. On the other hand, if the food is acceptable but the overall experience is outstanding, customers often do come back.

Cooking remains largely human-driven. Robots can make pizzas or flip burgers, but fine-dining kitchens involve too many complex and creative tasks to automate fully. Yet change is coming: machines are becoming more precise, autonomous, and able to handle increasingly complex processes. The paradox here is generational. Many experienced chefs resist automation, while younger professionals may embrace it. As this transition occurs, some traditional restaurants may not survive.

The Wait Staff

Human interaction defines the dining experience. Ordering from a self-service kiosk at a fast-food chain is not the same as being welcomed by a professional waiter in a fine-dining restaurant. Full automation of this role is unlikely in the near future.

Still, technology is already present. Tablets are commonly used to take orders. For now, they are simply extensions of the register system. In the future, AI could radically change this dynamic. Imagine a tablet that listens to the conversation, suggests answers to customer questions in real time, or automatically processes orders. Splitting a bill – a frequent frustration – could become effortless.

Here lies another paradox: while technology could support waiters and compensate for lack of training or motivation, it could also erode the very human contact that makes restaurants unique. If customer interactions become mediated by AI, will the hospitality industry lose its essence?

The Back Office

The greatest potential lies behind the scenes. Staffing is one of the hardest challenges in restaurants: too many employees cause financial losses, too few damage service and reputation. Current scheduling is guesswork.

An AI-powered scheduling system could analyze sales history, weather forecasts, local events, and staff performance. Over time, it could learn patterns and anticipate demand better than any human manager. Similar systems could optimise menus by analysing demographics, customer behaviour, and trends – even suggesting dishes customers did not yet know they wanted.

This introduces another paradox of an open society: data-driven optimisation gives large corporations a clear advantage, while independent restaurants often lack resources to use such systems. Digitalisation may thus widen the gap between chains and small businesses.

GDPR and the Risks of an Open Digital Society

Legislation lags behind technology. The EU’s GDPR (2018) was an important step towards protecting citizens’ data. Before that, global tech companies freely collected and exploited personal information.

GDPR is positive: it recognises privacy as a basic human right. Yet enforcement is uneven, and outside Europe most countries still operate under pre-GDPR conditions. The paradox here is clear: while Europe leads in digital rights, the internet is global. A single toaster or app produced elsewhere can still compromise security.

Consent mechanisms also illustrate this paradox. While websites now ask before collecting data, the formats are inconsistent and often deliberately confusing. Pop-ups frustrate users into clicking “Accept All.” In theory, GDPR empowers citizens. In practice, it often shifts responsibility to individuals while companies still set defaults in their own favour.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an example of AI already embedded in everyday life. I use it almost daily for brainstorming, writing, and research. It provides useful insights but has limitations: it tends to follow the user’s lead, avoids heavy computation, and produces unreliable links.

The paradox here is twofold: ChatGPT saves time, enhances creativity, and gives individuals access to knowledge once reserved for experts. At the same time, it centralises power in the hands of one company, raising questions about bias, monopoly, and long-term trust.

In relation to the restaurant industry, ChatGPT’s predictions align with my observations: growth in takeout and delivery, ghost kitchens on the rise, and dine-in restaurants needing to elevate quality to survive. Personally, I believe the market is oversaturated. Fewer restaurants of higher quality could lead to better wages, working conditions, and more memorable experiences.

Self-Evaluation

This assignment did not bring many new insights, as I had already reflected deeply on digitalisation, AI, and GDPR. The videos provided were interesting but outdated; more recent content would better capture today’s realities. Nevertheless, writing this text allowed me to connect my professional background to broader societal issues.

The key paradox I see is this: digitalisation promises efficiency and innovation, but also risks eroding human connection, widening inequalities, and creating new vulnerabilities. Tomorrow’s computer viruses may come not from hackers alone, but from insecure household appliances connected through the Internet of Things. Unless global standards exist, security gaps will remain.

In an open society, the challenge is to balance innovation with human values, and efficiency with fairness. Digitalisation is not just about technology – it is about what kind of society we want to live in. The restaurant industry is a microcosm of these changes: at its best, digitalisation enhances human creativity and service. At its worst, it risks stripping away the very humanity that makes dining – and society itself – worth preserving.

From my own perspective, I see digitalisation as inevitable, but I also recognise my responsibility as a professional to shape how it is used. If restaurants adopt technology blindly, they may lose the very soul of hospitality. But if they use it wisely, technology can reduce routine tasks, improve data-driven decision-making, and free human staff to focus on creativity and genuine interaction. This balance – between machines and people, efficiency and empathy – will define the future of both restaurants and the wider society.