Great post. Thanks for the mention. My weird little page needs all the eyes it can get.
Your post reflects a lot of my feelings about AI. I’m upset that “creative work” and “the arts” is one of the first things the engineers trained the AI to do. But as you say in your post, they never valued us anyway. Because society doesn’t value us. You spend ten years of your life perfecting writing a”sentences, making them sing, and everyone looks at you like you are an idiot because you didn’t learn how to code, or you get an MBA. But people naturally make art! We naturally tell stories and write poetry and dance and sing! The economy doesn’t have to force us to do these things; we just do them. And to somewhat echo your post (I think we are on the same page) to take a human completely out of the artistic equation, indicates a profound misunderstanding of humanity.
Our entire construct of Capitalism is fundamentally predatory where the few benefit from the labor of the many, LLMs are a prime example. AI as a productivity boost is just a narrative used for adoption especially on the Enterprise side. So there's a FOMO movement among companies trying to augment their products with LLMs that have no real rule of law - with no clause for actual regulation because our "adversaries" are doing it too.
The Machine Economy and age of automation hasn't even really begun yet. But the profit motive is what drives the speed of A.I. But is this even real innovation? It's definately a ploy for bigger companies to get even more powerful.
Thanks for this intriguing post. As always you respond with enthusiasm, optimism and passion. AI overwhelms me with its possibilities but I’m glad to see you still believe in the positives of the human spirit.
I'm humbled and gratified to know I've been thinking about "AI" the right way. When you see my piece this week know I only copied "some" of your work. :-)
Every piece of technology is a tool. It is neither good nor evil. Technology is subject to GIGO, and that is programmed by humanity.
I partially agree with you, but I don't consider myself a virus or autoimmune disease. I don't depend upon technology to do anything. Heck, I even use pen and paper to write, and I would rather talk to people face to face.
I personally think that big cities are the disease and that we need to return to the way we were meant to live, in small communities...
Thanks for another enjoyable article Birgitte! It is always a pleasure to talk to you or read your articles!
I have “paid my dues” to “AI” during its second wave. In 1990, I gave it my days, nights, weekends, and holidays while crafting the memory of one “AI” (it will always be “AI” to me until I see intelligence). I read about full-custom silicon memories. Chose one, designed it, implemented it, tested it and released it. The whole chip did not do what it was intended to do (act human), but the memory and it’s surrounding circuitry worked flawlessly after it was manufactured in 2 micron technology. I had learned something and I could make a living off it. Then the second “AI” winter hit.
For many years I only read about “AI” as something that happened in the past.
Now “AI” is in fashion again and it is the same helper or threat already talked about twice in history.
Every time, “AI” appears to be a threat to human existence. But now, you nailed it, it is the people that are the ones not only making the tools but also trying to use them to get rid of having to pay other people.
But be aware that there are technologists like me who are working on tools to empower humans. I believe in humans and will continue to make tools so that we can figure out our universe and have fun doing it.
interesting piece, but I'm not sure it's fair to say "humans" had an equal hand in creating the automation issue when (as always) almost no one outside the investment class will profit long-term...we do agree on your conclusion that cost less labor was always the goal and AI might be the scoring strike.
I admire and love just how vocally powerful you can be. In your face, authentic engagement with the reader. You just get out there and say your beliefs. without holding back. In no way. shape or form, are you a hypocrite. And that's what gives this peace pause. Its emotion, However, we can hold both opinions in tandem. when I say the substance does not follow through. I question. why such, anger towards the tools of the creatives? yes I totally understand. that there will be layoffs. That is part of whats ahead. Deep suffering. But the humanities have always advanced, in incremental steps, Followed by leaps, Historically known as paradigm shifts.
A paradigm shift is characteristic in the way that there's a strong dichotomy and willingness in people to embrace what they believe -and that things are no longer. The article itself is a strong reverberance of this flaw, Almost purposely satirical, in the way that if you do believe in humans. You should thank your boss. Don't fear the earthquake. The tidal wave. Learn how to surf it.
To close on a different note. the loss of good literature, Even though it's decaying. was already underway. Will always hurt to the bone to have spent midnight oil in pure passion for the art. How different? and how is it possible? that we can name? two artefacts, such as the Gulag archipelago from Solzhenitsyn. They changed the very nature and course of the world. To a hacked-up self-generated. optimized transformation model covered in our book. Cover.
As to the gentleman below. the reality of. the matter was. we always expect that the creatives the arts. The sciences in truth, were going to be the last ones. In the spirit of solace. consider that, is it a trickle-down? from that which is beautiful and creative into that which is mundane. or even trivial. that the rebirth will also come from the creatives. They never stole the creativity. just a form in which it's delivered. and as it becomes. fluent in other forms, this will become more apparent. Until then: Garlic it is. 🧄
We are an auto-immune disease
Great post. Thanks for the mention. My weird little page needs all the eyes it can get.
Your post reflects a lot of my feelings about AI. I’m upset that “creative work” and “the arts” is one of the first things the engineers trained the AI to do. But as you say in your post, they never valued us anyway. Because society doesn’t value us. You spend ten years of your life perfecting writing a”sentences, making them sing, and everyone looks at you like you are an idiot because you didn’t learn how to code, or you get an MBA. But people naturally make art! We naturally tell stories and write poetry and dance and sing! The economy doesn’t have to force us to do these things; we just do them. And to somewhat echo your post (I think we are on the same page) to take a human completely out of the artistic equation, indicates a profound misunderstanding of humanity.
I had to get that out of me.
Our entire construct of Capitalism is fundamentally predatory where the few benefit from the labor of the many, LLMs are a prime example. AI as a productivity boost is just a narrative used for adoption especially on the Enterprise side. So there's a FOMO movement among companies trying to augment their products with LLMs that have no real rule of law - with no clause for actual regulation because our "adversaries" are doing it too.
The Machine Economy and age of automation hasn't even really begun yet. But the profit motive is what drives the speed of A.I. But is this even real innovation? It's definately a ploy for bigger companies to get even more powerful.
Right on to this one!
Thanks for this intriguing post. As always you respond with enthusiasm, optimism and passion. AI overwhelms me with its possibilities but I’m glad to see you still believe in the positives of the human spirit.
I'm humbled and gratified to know I've been thinking about "AI" the right way. When you see my piece this week know I only copied "some" of your work. :-)
Every piece of technology is a tool. It is neither good nor evil. Technology is subject to GIGO, and that is programmed by humanity.
I partially agree with you, but I don't consider myself a virus or autoimmune disease. I don't depend upon technology to do anything. Heck, I even use pen and paper to write, and I would rather talk to people face to face.
I personally think that big cities are the disease and that we need to return to the way we were meant to live, in small communities...
Thanks for another enjoyable article Birgitte! It is always a pleasure to talk to you or read your articles!
I have “paid my dues” to “AI” during its second wave. In 1990, I gave it my days, nights, weekends, and holidays while crafting the memory of one “AI” (it will always be “AI” to me until I see intelligence). I read about full-custom silicon memories. Chose one, designed it, implemented it, tested it and released it. The whole chip did not do what it was intended to do (act human), but the memory and it’s surrounding circuitry worked flawlessly after it was manufactured in 2 micron technology. I had learned something and I could make a living off it. Then the second “AI” winter hit.
For many years I only read about “AI” as something that happened in the past.
Now “AI” is in fashion again and it is the same helper or threat already talked about twice in history.
Every time, “AI” appears to be a threat to human existence. But now, you nailed it, it is the people that are the ones not only making the tools but also trying to use them to get rid of having to pay other people.
But be aware that there are technologists like me who are working on tools to empower humans. I believe in humans and will continue to make tools so that we can figure out our universe and have fun doing it.
Interesting way of putting it. I myself have no concerns over intelligent machines. In fact, I welcome them, for the reasons I gave in We Must Stop Muting Like This: https://soaringtwenties.substack.com/p/we-must-stop-muting-like-this
interesting piece, but I'm not sure it's fair to say "humans" had an equal hand in creating the automation issue when (as always) almost no one outside the investment class will profit long-term...we do agree on your conclusion that cost less labor was always the goal and AI might be the scoring strike.
overall, I dig your perspective.
A masterpiece of thinking and wordcraft, Birgitte! Thank you. Lots to ponder.
I admire and love just how vocally powerful you can be. In your face, authentic engagement with the reader. You just get out there and say your beliefs. without holding back. In no way. shape or form, are you a hypocrite. And that's what gives this peace pause. Its emotion, However, we can hold both opinions in tandem. when I say the substance does not follow through. I question. why such, anger towards the tools of the creatives? yes I totally understand. that there will be layoffs. That is part of whats ahead. Deep suffering. But the humanities have always advanced, in incremental steps, Followed by leaps, Historically known as paradigm shifts.
A paradigm shift is characteristic in the way that there's a strong dichotomy and willingness in people to embrace what they believe -and that things are no longer. The article itself is a strong reverberance of this flaw, Almost purposely satirical, in the way that if you do believe in humans. You should thank your boss. Don't fear the earthquake. The tidal wave. Learn how to surf it.
To close on a different note. the loss of good literature, Even though it's decaying. was already underway. Will always hurt to the bone to have spent midnight oil in pure passion for the art. How different? and how is it possible? that we can name? two artefacts, such as the Gulag archipelago from Solzhenitsyn. They changed the very nature and course of the world. To a hacked-up self-generated. optimized transformation model covered in our book. Cover.
As to the gentleman below. the reality of. the matter was. we always expect that the creatives the arts. The sciences in truth, were going to be the last ones. In the spirit of solace. consider that, is it a trickle-down? from that which is beautiful and creative into that which is mundane. or even trivial. that the rebirth will also come from the creatives. They never stole the creativity. just a form in which it's delivered. and as it becomes. fluent in other forms, this will become more apparent. Until then: Garlic it is. 🧄