12 Comments
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Mr. Troy Ford's avatar

Raising hand to be a beta tester of your "Talk to Your Book" program... 🖐️

Sara Santa Clara's avatar

My husband also started to "play" with creating small scripts that help in his work and he also "created" an workout app for his phone that works exactly for his needs... I frown a little at this but then... I guess it's inevitable. And I think that as long as we use it as a tool - like your carpenter uses their nail-gun - then maybe it's ok?

In all honesty, I don't know. What if we start trusting it too much? What if we take its word for the truth and aren't able to tell hallucinations from facts?

Also, it's pretty hard to misuse a nail-gun but AI is already being misused in ways that are pretty horrifying... Although, having said that, when I was volunteering at the wild life rescue center we received a hawk with a nail through its head (it survived by the way, amazingly) so maybe we shouldn't blame the tool but the hands it falls into?

I don't know. I'm all questions and no answers...

In an ideal world, I don't think there would be reason to fear AI because it would be used to cure diseases and make everyone's life better. But our world is far from ideal, so I have to say I am not optimistic.

It's really interesting to have your point of view, though.

And as much as I loved reading A Memory of My Shadow... Let's hope it doesn't come to that🙃

Ben Wakeman's avatar

It's completely valid to be all questions and no answers when it comes to this conversation. I have more questions every day. I don't believe there's anything supernatural or even natural/human about the technology but I also agree, it doesn't equate to my over-simplified nail gun analogy and there's untold amounts of damage it can and will do in the hands of bad or even lazy actors. The only thing that's certain is, like all technology, there is no going backwards so we'll have to learn, adapt, and keep smart, thoughtful people engaged to steer things. My biggest concerns are for people who underestimate what AI capable of and those who just want to put their heads in the sand and deny it exists - to opt out.

Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

I appreciated your thoughts and opinion on this, Ben - it’s a unique take on an issue that gets a lot of takes!

Ben Wakeman's avatar

Thanks, Stephanie. It’s kind of bizarro world right now.

Claudia Befu's avatar

Figma Make, thanks for the tip. Need to do some designs Monday. ;)

It’s hard grappling with these new questions. I’m also reflecting on this a lot.

Tamara Casey's avatar

Glad it's working for you but it sounds like a slippery slope you are on. Might be time to put it aside, other than what you must do for work, and see how you feel.

Ben Wakeman's avatar

That would be the reasonable thing, wouldn’t it? 😉 Thanks for reading, Tamara.

Kay's avatar

This is such an interesting post, Ben.

I have read through it a few times more.

And the more I think about all this, the scarier I find it.

Right or wrong?

I really don’t know.

Ben Wakeman's avatar

Thanks for reading, Kay. It does represent a huge shift and those are always an unsettling.

Kay's avatar

I wish I had answers. I don’t.

Jenny Homan's avatar

One word. Idiocracy. IYKYK.