Algorithmic trading is a force in the world; whether it is good or not depends on the people wielding it. I think the danger isn't the technology itself, but the small number of people who understand, develop, and control it. I believe having more quants will give algo trading/quant investing a better chance of being a force for good.

(I work for Quantopian)

HFT isn't.

We're not doing HFT. We're doing algorithmic investing. There's a big difference.

(I work for Quantopian.)