AI and ChatGPT vs critical thinking

This page is a collection of articles written by people who are not impressed by the latest developments in AI and ChatGPT (late 2022, early 2023).

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It’s fine it you want to call me a Luddite, cynical, disbeliever, hypocrite or whatever. But every time everybody goes crazy about some new technology or software, I take a step back and keep my distance because I like to have the time and space to think about things, and also to observe.

Luckily, there are others far more eloquent and who seem to do the same. So here’s my “Best Of” list of opinions about AI and ChatGPT.

Critical pieces on AI and ChatGPT

🔥 Mark Hurst, ChatGPT’s dangers are starting to show

🔥 Maria Bastillos, Just because chatbots can’t think doesn’t mean they can’t lie

🔥 David Golumbia, ChatGPT should not exist

🔥 James Bridle, The stupidity of AI

🔥 Nick Cave, The Red Hand Files issue #218

☕ Personal ramblings 💭

The recent developments in AI technology have been astounding, namely, ChatGPT and now the latest GPT4. I think it’s only natural to be somewhat concerned about what the future holds and to imagine what industries will be affected the most (customer service seems to be an ideal candidate, for example).

Is this concern exaggerated? Perhaps. Still, questions start popping up.What are the socioeconomic effects of mass AI adoption? Is it reasonable to expect scenarios of mass unemployment and a reduction in buying power? Consequently, what businesses will be the most affected and risk losing customers? On the other hand, what new job opportunities can come out of this new reality? And can we easily retrain most people to adapt to these new roles?

The race is on, regardless. Some companies will use AI as replacement in order to cut costs/maximize profits and/or simply to ride the wave. Others are already using GPT as a complement to improve their products and/or empower their workforce by optimizing productivity. Simultaneously, generative AI evangelists are already announcing they can show us how to leverage AI and become millionaires.

Meanwhile, “Open” AI seems to be anything but. They would like free help from everyone by using Evals (https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/14/with-evals-openai-hopes-to-crowdsource-ai-model-testing/) but they apparently refuse to disclose anything important about GPT4 (https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/03/14/1069823/gpt-4-is-bigger-and-better-chatgpt-openai/). Is that transparent? Nope. Is it fair? Probably not. Still, everybody’s impressed and adoption continues.

From legal conundrums to core ethical complications, there are certainly a lot of interesting additional discussions to be had. And because every new technological revolution or radical advancement is a Faustian bargain, I’m curious to see what we’re bargaining for.

Future of AI and predictions

Generative AI will enhance – not erase – customer service jobs, HBR and Accenture

GPT and education

I’m just a boy, standing in front of his readers, asking them to send some popcorn 🍿

This person proposes to ditch school and, surprise surprise, have “One AI Tutor Per Child” because – ready or not – “Personalized learning is finally here.” No, really, get some popcorn before you read this.

Here’s its corresponding Hacker discussion.