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This is not comparable. Photoshop lets a conscious hand change the medium. Now we have tools that generate the message out of thin air. We're about to outsourc

by nicbou 4y ago

This is not comparable. Photoshop lets a conscious hand change the medium. Now we have tools that generate the message out of thin air. We're about to outsource human expression to machines. And why? To automate things we don't want to write about, and automate reading them. I picture a future of machines talking to each other in increasingly clever human language while humans on each end just get the straight talk: "Did you put the cover on the TPS reports?" "Yes, I did. I got the memo." This also ushers in a terrifying era of communication. "I'm so sorry for your loss", says a machine on behalf of someone, using all the right words but not feeling any of them. "Thank you" replies another, on behalf of someone else.

sergiomattei 4y ago
I’m confused. What’s the difference between “I’m sorry for your loss” written by a spell checker versus a human? The effect is the same on the reader. This looks hand-wavy to me.
- nicbou 4y ago
  I expanded my thoughts into a short post, if you care to read it: https://nicolasbouliane.com/blog/machine-talk https://nicolasbouliane.com/blog/machine-talk Spelling and grammar checkers are amazing. It becomes a problem when we outsource expressing ourselves to a machine. If kind, thoughtful words come from an artificial brain, expressing sympathies just becomes a box-ticking exercise. We mocked "press F to pay respects", but we've already built it in real life. "Congratulate John about his new job" (LinkedIn), "Wish Jane a happy birthday" (Facebook). Having the machine write the message for us is the next step, and I find it terrifying. What value is there to a gesture if it asks nothing of us? No thoughtfulness, hell, no thought. At this point, you might as well go all-in. Attach a pen to a CNC, connect AI to it, and offer heartfelt handwritten notes as a service. Offer to connect it to social media and auto-detect heartfelt handwritten letter opportunities. Have that letter in the mail while the corpse is still warm.
  - potatoman22 4y ago
    I'll add one to your facebook/linkedin example: Hallmark cards.
    - nicbou 4y ago
      Pretty much, but without the effort of going out, then buying, choosing and signing one.
BeFlatXIII 4y ago
Your last paragraph is already close to how birthday greetings work on Facebook

by nicbou 4y ago

sergiomattei 4y ago

I’m confused. What’s the difference between “I’m sorry for your loss” written by a spell checker versus a human? The effect is the same on the reader. This looks hand-wavy to me.

nicbou 4y ago
I expanded my thoughts into a short post, if you care to read it: https://nicolasbouliane.com/blog/machine-talk https://nicolasbouliane.com/blog/machine-talk Spelling and grammar checkers are amazing. It becomes a problem when we outsource expressing ourselves to a machine. If kind, thoughtful words come from an artificial brain, expressing sympathies just becomes a box-ticking exercise. We mocked "press F to pay respects", but we've already built it in real life. "Congratulate John about his new job" (LinkedIn), "Wish Jane a happy birthday" (Facebook). Having the machine write the message for us is the next step, and I find it terrifying. What value is there to a gesture if it asks nothing of us? No thoughtfulness, hell, no thought. At this point, you might as well go all-in. Attach a pen to a CNC, connect AI to it, and offer heartfelt handwritten notes as a service. Offer to connect it to social media and auto-detect heartfelt handwritten letter opportunities. Have that letter in the mail while the corpse is still warm.
- potatoman22 4y ago
  I'll add one to your facebook/linkedin example: Hallmark cards.
  - nicbou 4y ago
    Pretty much, but without the effort of going out, then buying, choosing and signing one.

BeFlatXIII 4y ago

Your last paragraph is already close to how birthday greetings work on Facebook