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I read this a lot, but I don't get it. ...and I don't get the implied paradigm shift that's supposed to happen with better text generators. If people generate

by fwn 3y ago

I read this a lot, but I don't get it. ...and I don't get the implied paradigm shift that's supposed to happen with better text generators. If people generate better content with bots, that's a good thing. If the content people generate with bots is worse, then they're not going to be successful with it. If bad content outperforms good content, that would be a problem for the social network. ... but that would be a problem regardless of the tools used to create that content.

endisneigh 3y ago
The point of social media is to interact with real people, no?
- fwn 3y ago
  Personally, I engage with hacker news for the content, not the people. It's the thoughts, opinions, narrations, and arguments that I enjoy consuming and contributing to. How would my position in this argument be any less valuable if it turned out that I automated it with the help of a text generator?
  - endisneigh 3y ago
    That’s interesting. I come here for content specifically posted by real people. If for instance you were a LLM and I knew this I wouldn’t even bother replying.
  - echelon 3y ago
    I think it would be funny to write LLMs to generate noise and jam the Reddit signal. Do it slowly so the frog doesn't notice it's getting boiled. I can't be the only one with this thought. I wouldn't personally act on this, of course. It's not at all constructive. I find it amusing to contemplate, though, and I also believe it's plausible others will execute on a similar vision. There will be all sorts of other actors using LLMs for their own ends, too. Astroturfers. Trolls. Griefers. You name it.
mrobins 3y ago
Let’s say you’re right and only the good content rises to the top. What’s the motivation behind that content? It’s likely not just to improve online discussions and be your AI online thought partner. It will have an agenda and it will be using crazy amounts of computational power to steer you towards someone else’s financial or political goal.

by fwn 3y ago

endisneigh 3y ago

The point of social media is to interact with real people, no?

fwn 3y ago
Personally, I engage with hacker news for the content, not the people. It's the thoughts, opinions, narrations, and arguments that I enjoy consuming and contributing to. How would my position in this argument be any less valuable if it turned out that I automated it with the help of a text generator?
- endisneigh 3y ago
  That’s interesting. I come here for content specifically posted by real people. If for instance you were a LLM and I knew this I wouldn’t even bother replying.
- echelon 3y ago
  I think it would be funny to write LLMs to generate noise and jam the Reddit signal. Do it slowly so the frog doesn't notice it's getting boiled. I can't be the only one with this thought. I wouldn't personally act on this, of course. It's not at all constructive. I find it amusing to contemplate, though, and I also believe it's plausible others will execute on a similar vision. There will be all sorts of other actors using LLMs for their own ends, too. Astroturfers. Trolls. Griefers. You name it.

mrobins 3y ago

Let’s say you’re right and only the good content rises to the top. What’s the motivation behind that content? It’s likely not just to improve online discussions and be your AI online thought partner. It will have an agenda and it will be using crazy amounts of computational power to steer you towards someone else’s financial or political goal.