His blunt, brash scepticism has made the podcaster and writer something of a cult figure. But as concern over large language models builds, he’s no longer the outsider he once was
That might not be what we should be excited to do.
And what people are excited is the idea of replacing all non-pleasant work.
So here’s the catch, replacing human work with machines where practical usually leaves the parts where humans are needed for being human, not for their output as a part of a mechanism.
For example, humans greeting you at a hotel, humans carrying trays and accepting orders in restaurants, humans as a decoration, humans doing prostitution, human gladiators, human actors. OK, the last part is fine.
All these involve learning and maintaining skills more removed from power than skills of more industrial professions (monotonous work).
Being a nice monkey to those who can afford you as a servant might not be what most people dream about.
my point is what we “should be” excited about is being released from monotonous work in exchange for universal basic income, so we wouldn’t feel the need to be reduced to servants. obviously that isn’t going to happen, but that’s the utopian dream.
All these involve learning and maintaining skills more removed from power than skills of more industrial professions (monotonous work).
I tend to disagree. There is something gratifying in making something with your own hands/tools. I could buy a table, or a drawer, or a pre-built computer. But I kinda enjoy making/assembling mine own. There are other people out there that enjoy gardening, and plenty other “monotonous work”.
That might not be what we should be excited to do.
And what people are excited is the idea of replacing all non-pleasant work.
So here’s the catch, replacing human work with machines where practical usually leaves the parts where humans are needed for being human, not for their output as a part of a mechanism.
For example, humans greeting you at a hotel, humans carrying trays and accepting orders in restaurants, humans as a decoration, humans doing prostitution, human gladiators, human actors. OK, the last part is fine.
All these involve learning and maintaining skills more removed from power than skills of more industrial professions (monotonous work).
Being a nice monkey to those who can afford you as a servant might not be what most people dream about.
my point is what we “should be” excited about is being released from monotonous work in exchange for universal basic income, so we wouldn’t feel the need to be reduced to servants. obviously that isn’t going to happen, but that’s the utopian dream.
So, when do I get an AI to navigate the phone-tree for me (kind of like the advocate in Jupiter Ascending)?
I tend to disagree. There is something gratifying in making something with your own hands/tools. I could buy a table, or a drawer, or a pre-built computer. But I kinda enjoy making/assembling mine own. There are other people out there that enjoy gardening, and plenty other “monotonous work”.