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I didn't find this article refreshing. If anything, it's just the same dismissive attitude that's dominating this forum, where AI is perceived as the new blockc

by Kiro 2y ago

I didn't find this article refreshing. If anything, it's just the same dismissive attitude that's dominating this forum, where AI is perceived as the new blockchain. An actually refreshing perspective would be one that's optimistic.

andrei_says_ 2y ago
Is it possible that this forum may be dismissive of the AI bubble because the people on HN tend to have better understanding of the technology, its limitations, and the deceptive narrative around it?
- Kiro 2y ago
  We like to think we're above everyone else but in reality our technical expertise is mostly irrelevant when evaluating the utility. I've been programming for 20 years and I can't think of a single thing I know that puts me in a better position to predict the future of AI.
  - andrei_says_ 2y ago
    I was not speaking about the future however. And especially not about the distant future. AI is such a wide term that it’s hard to even discuss the topic. It is already used for surveillance and racial profiling (China etc.) and that’s already a disruption in oppression and control. Will likely disrupt driving. Image recognition and generation are clearly influential. Probabilistic text generation tech is making huge promises and getting a lot of investment but application is lacking - seems like a technology of search of application.
  - kelnos 2y ago
    > I've been programming for 20 years and I can't think of a single thing I know that puts me in a better position to predict the future of AI. I don't think that's the argument, though. OP (and many commenters here) are talking about the state of AI tools right now, and how executive/marketing/sales people already either lie about or genuinely (incorrectly) believe fantastical things about current capabilities.
  - mu53 2y ago
    Compared to other populations, the HN group will know about AI tools being released, use them, and have some vague understanding their fundamental basis. The tools are impressive but have their limitations. I think the demos are more for investors looking for the next unicorn. Like self driving cars, its a hard problem
- Kuinox 2y ago
  Did you heard about the opinion of HN about Dropbox ?
  - sureglymop 2y ago
    The one infamous comment you mean? Because otherwise people in that thread thought it was pretty cool! I see this often mentioned here but it really just seemed like one comment in a whole thread.
    - Kuinox 2y ago
      It was also the most upvoted comment.
- TeMPOraL 2y ago
  That still requires to have tight blinders on your eyes, the same kind that were needed to not be dismissive of the blockchain. Or maybe we're confusing two things. AI and blockchain are complete opposites in real terms; the former represents an unexpected and qualitative jump in technological capabilities of humanity, and already delivers spectacular results, while the latter is just a purposefully inefficient database, neat on mathematical grounds, but useless in the real world. However, in business terms, both are in fact the same - a way for grifters to get rich on peddling bullshit. To this I can only say: please remember that the nature of a thing is not affected by how much the fraudsters can lie to you about it. Hustlers gonna hustle. So sure, it's a business-level hype - but that doesn't affect the merit of the underlying tech.
__rito__ 2y ago
That's far from what the article actually tries to say. Did you read the full thing? HN is disproportionately dismissive, where one comment in late 2023 was this: Ruby is so much better than Python, and Python is only pumped up by AI hype, and the AI hype will die down soon. Ruby will regain the throne again. Imagine that! This article is not that. This article just tells you to get your basics correct as a company, and don't think about using AI before you are absolutely sure where and how you will use it. And non-technical people are the main drivers of AI hype (which is besides the true thing).
- oidar 2y ago
  Can you give a link to that quote? A google search and hn search doesn't surface it.
  - __rito__ 2y ago
    Just a quick search with string "ruby python hype" on HN yielded a response to this on the second page. > "Sadly, I don't expect this situation to reverse in the future. Maybe like blockchain, once the AI/ML fantasy hype dies down the other comparatively-unpleasant language will lose general appeal and Ruby will gain more attention." [0] [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34243498 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34243498
    - oidar 2y ago
      I see. I thought it was a direct quote. I'm not sure the linked comment matches the sentiment in your original statement.
      - __rito__ 2y ago
        I am.
cainxinth 2y ago
It reads a bit like someone at the turn of the 20th century describing the shortcomings of newfangled automobiles.

by Kiro 2y ago

andrei_says_ 2y ago

Is it possible that this forum may be dismissive of the AI bubble because the people on HN tend to have better understanding of the technology, its limitations, and the deceptive narrative around it?

Kiro 2y ago
We like to think we're above everyone else but in reality our technical expertise is mostly irrelevant when evaluating the utility. I've been programming for 20 years and I can't think of a single thing I know that puts me in a better position to predict the future of AI.
- andrei_says_ 2y ago
  I was not speaking about the future however. And especially not about the distant future. AI is such a wide term that it’s hard to even discuss the topic. It is already used for surveillance and racial profiling (China etc.) and that’s already a disruption in oppression and control. Will likely disrupt driving. Image recognition and generation are clearly influential. Probabilistic text generation tech is making huge promises and getting a lot of investment but application is lacking - seems like a technology of search of application.
- kelnos 2y ago
  > I've been programming for 20 years and I can't think of a single thing I know that puts me in a better position to predict the future of AI. I don't think that's the argument, though. OP (and many commenters here) are talking about the state of AI tools right now, and how executive/marketing/sales people already either lie about or genuinely (incorrectly) believe fantastical things about current capabilities.
- mu53 2y ago
  Compared to other populations, the HN group will know about AI tools being released, use them, and have some vague understanding their fundamental basis. The tools are impressive but have their limitations. I think the demos are more for investors looking for the next unicorn. Like self driving cars, its a hard problem
Kuinox 2y ago
Did you heard about the opinion of HN about Dropbox ?
- sureglymop 2y ago
  The one infamous comment you mean? Because otherwise people in that thread thought it was pretty cool! I see this often mentioned here but it really just seemed like one comment in a whole thread.
  - Kuinox 2y ago
    It was also the most upvoted comment.
TeMPOraL 2y ago
That still requires to have tight blinders on your eyes, the same kind that were needed to not be dismissive of the blockchain. Or maybe we're confusing two things. AI and blockchain are complete opposites in real terms; the former represents an unexpected and qualitative jump in technological capabilities of humanity, and already delivers spectacular results, while the latter is just a purposefully inefficient database, neat on mathematical grounds, but useless in the real world. However, in business terms, both are in fact the same - a way for grifters to get rich on peddling bullshit. To this I can only say: please remember that the nature of a thing is not affected by how much the fraudsters can lie to you about it. Hustlers gonna hustle. So sure, it's a business-level hype - but that doesn't affect the merit of the underlying tech.

__rito__ 2y ago

That's far from what the article actually tries to say. Did you read the full thing? HN is disproportionately dismissive, where one comment in late 2023 was this: Ruby is so much better than Python, and Python is only pumped up by AI hype, and the AI hype will die down soon. Ruby will regain the throne again. Imagine that! This article is not that. This article just tells you to get your basics correct as a company, and don't think about using AI before you are absolutely sure where and how you will use it. And non-technical people are the main drivers of AI hype (which is besides the true thing).

oidar 2y ago
Can you give a link to that quote? A google search and hn search doesn't surface it.
- __rito__ 2y ago
  Just a quick search with string "ruby python hype" on HN yielded a response to this on the second page. > "Sadly, I don't expect this situation to reverse in the future. Maybe like blockchain, once the AI/ML fantasy hype dies down the other comparatively-unpleasant language will lose general appeal and Ruby will gain more attention." [0] [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34243498 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34243498
  - oidar 2y ago
    I see. I thought it was a direct quote. I'm not sure the linked comment matches the sentiment in your original statement.
    - __rito__ 2y ago
      I am.

cainxinth 2y ago

It reads a bit like someone at the turn of the 20th century describing the shortcomings of newfangled automobiles.