Readers will know that I’m not apocalyptic about AI, probably in part because I’ve seen enough predictions of tech-doom come and go to be rather skeptical about the next one.
If using AI, or relying on it for whatever purpose, strips us of our humanity or disconnects us from it, isn’t that apocalyptic enough? If it can draft anything for us with a minimal prompt, what is our purpose in the process, what is our contribution? If the answers it spits out have little truth and no one cares or bothers to check, what objective truth is there, eventually? I think you’re right about efficiency, but at what point do we (the humans) become the hindrance to technological efficiency? It’s good that we’re reconsidering the human aspects—the meaning and purpose—of institutions, but I wonder if the coming culture or “corporate” war will be over priority: those willing to accept human imperfection and inefficiency for learning, creativity, and imagination, and those who value efficiency above all else, even their own humanity.
I do think priority is the question. To some extent, sure, maybe this has been a question for a century now - it was predicted that because of various "time-saving tools", we'd all be working five hours a week now and spending the rest of the time on the beach. Instead, every time-saving tool has meant "it's great that you can do this job in 5 hours now instead of 20 - here is the new work I have for you in your new 15 hours!" That sort of thing is why I see people being pushed into these tools unless explicit decisions are made to avoid them.
Great point. It's why I chuckle at 1940s and '50s print ads for household appliances (new at the time) like washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and self-cleaning ovens. They show housewives impossibly happy at how efficient and easy housekeeping can be! Fast forward to the future and this working mom who also does 99 percent of the household duties still doesn't have enough time to get everything done, let alone sit down and eat bonbons.
Do you know the line about how Ben Franklin, watching an early hot air balloon in Paris circa 1780, said, "What good is a newborn baby?"
Had to look that up, actually.
https://www.americanheritage.com/what-good-new-born-baby
If using AI, or relying on it for whatever purpose, strips us of our humanity or disconnects us from it, isn’t that apocalyptic enough? If it can draft anything for us with a minimal prompt, what is our purpose in the process, what is our contribution? If the answers it spits out have little truth and no one cares or bothers to check, what objective truth is there, eventually? I think you’re right about efficiency, but at what point do we (the humans) become the hindrance to technological efficiency? It’s good that we’re reconsidering the human aspects—the meaning and purpose—of institutions, but I wonder if the coming culture or “corporate” war will be over priority: those willing to accept human imperfection and inefficiency for learning, creativity, and imagination, and those who value efficiency above all else, even their own humanity.
Thoughtful comment as always, thank you!
I do think priority is the question. To some extent, sure, maybe this has been a question for a century now - it was predicted that because of various "time-saving tools", we'd all be working five hours a week now and spending the rest of the time on the beach. Instead, every time-saving tool has meant "it's great that you can do this job in 5 hours now instead of 20 - here is the new work I have for you in your new 15 hours!" That sort of thing is why I see people being pushed into these tools unless explicit decisions are made to avoid them.
Great point. It's why I chuckle at 1940s and '50s print ads for household appliances (new at the time) like washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and self-cleaning ovens. They show housewives impossibly happy at how efficient and easy housekeeping can be! Fast forward to the future and this working mom who also does 99 percent of the household duties still doesn't have enough time to get everything done, let alone sit down and eat bonbons.