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I feel that Google IO today was rather sad. There was a couple things I'd use. But there was weirdly nothing I'd pay money for? I can't square in my mind the am

by 015a 2y ago

I feel that Google IO today was rather sad. There was a couple things I'd use. But there was weirdly nothing I'd pay money for? I can't square in my mind the amount of money and hype in this industry with how, like, 30% excited I am for the things they make. I found the iPad keynote a few days ago more exciting and potential-invoking; seeing them present these devices from the perspective of "look at how you can draw with it" "look at people make music with it" "You can manage your business from it" and I was left with a small ember of excitement, like, maybe I should get one of these (and then you realize that I've felt that every time this happens and bought one and it never happens, but hey that's mostly a Me Problem). Google showcases Veo or whatever it is with a small, boring, stupid spot with Donald Glover, and I feel nothing. OpenAI demos GPT-4o and all I can think is "damn that TTS is horny". Asking AI to make art for you does not scratch the dull itch all humans have to create. Asking an AI to create is not creation; its management. Even using it as part of the process implies a larger, more comprehensive creative process the AI sits within, which none of these companies, Google, OpenAI, Runway, clearly know anything about. My take in general is: Big Tech lost the mandate of heaven like six years ago, OpenAI had it for a bit but at this point they've also lost it. Its actually kinda the case that no one has it right now. My innate response is to feel depression at Everything AI we're seeing happen, but with a little bit of effort I find that feeling sits right next to excitement; that I'm probably not the only one feeling this, that what these companies are doing is actually literally boring, its loved most by Elon thread-bros on XXXwitter, and that the world by-and-large is actually kinda holding its breath right now. Its the same feeling I had during crypto; that this can't be It, please God this can't be the thing that drives humanity forward for the next twenty years; and crypto wasn't; and AI probably won't be either. Doesn't mean it won't be useful, but it does mean that there will be a next thing, and I'm most excited to help build that.

silverquiet 2y ago
I wonder if you were about thirty-five six years ago; it's possible that it's an age thing and that's usually about when it hits. It's very hard to judge these things objectively. For myself, I became very disillusioned when AWS became the de facto way to run infrastructure - I didn't get into the business to pay a toll (with quite high markups) to Jeff Bezos. But you do have to find your way in the business and sometimes it means compromises.

by 015a 2y ago

silverquiet 2y ago

I wonder if you were about thirty-five six years ago; it's possible that it's an age thing and that's usually about when it hits. It's very hard to judge these things objectively. For myself, I became very disillusioned when AWS became the de facto way to run infrastructure - I didn't get into the business to pay a toll (with quite high markups) to Jeff Bezos. But you do have to find your way in the business and sometimes it means compromises.