While listening to the MRI presentation I had a moment of believing that, in this grueling winnowing process, something good for society might emerge. I don't mean a grand scheme to rearrange the lives of human beings around the globe, but a targeted application that would improve the lives of those in need of the technology.

The the inevitable networking followed. A tall man of about thirty approached me. Enthusiastically, he described the app he was creating. Its algorithms would let employers scan resumes to see which applicants were a good cultural fit for their organization.

My reaction was swift. I told him that "fitness" was another word for selecting a person the group would be comfortable with, a type of person they already knew: guys like themselves. His app, I said, was a way to maintain the existing segregated technical culture.

HE listened patiently. "Well, all that may be true," he replied. "But I'm not working for society. I'm working for the company."