4 ms·

I'm not sure what's sillier, banking on 3rd party bullshit generators to handle work product or ignoring the likelihood that executive tier depravity extends to

I'm not sure what's sillier, banking on 3rd party bullshit generators to handle work product or ignoring the likelihood that executive tier depravity extends to these kinds of depths when the prospect of cutting labor costs is presented.

imgabe 2y ago
I don’t know, we manage all right with the 1st party bullshit generators.
- forgetfreeman 2y ago
  You want to review the hiring slump in software development or perhaps the massive layoffs in middle management nationwide? We could also go take a look at what generative AI is doing to creatives income streams. Careful with that "we", it may not cover as much as you think. Edit: it occurred to me that I may not fully understand what your comment was meant to convey Are you saying labor is doing fine or work product created by generative AI is of acceptable quality?
  - imgabe 2y ago
    I’m making a joke that a lot of existing work product is already bullshit that has to be generated by humans so we may as well automate that.
    - forgetfreeman 2y ago
      You've got me boxed in there.
    - cudgy 2y ago
      Makes sense. Let’s maximize the bullshit generation.
ijidak 2y ago
Yeah. Even if generative AI assisted workers are not as productive as their managers imagine, craven managers will still cut or refuse to hire staff and tell their employees to just use more AI to get work done. I think many of us on Hacker News underestimate the depths to which middle tier managers will go to appease higher ups. Even in the case where AI productivity is total fiction, that doesn't mean it won't have a huge impact on the workload given to a single worker. All the way back to Pharaoh in the Bible when he is quoted as saying, 'They are relaxing! Let them make bricks without straw!' Hiring reduction doesn't require an entirely real productivity boost. It only requires the MBA and Management Consulting led perception that hiring fewer humans is now the smart thing to do!

imgabe 2y ago

I don’t know, we manage all right with the 1st party bullshit generators.

forgetfreeman 2y ago
You want to review the hiring slump in software development or perhaps the massive layoffs in middle management nationwide? We could also go take a look at what generative AI is doing to creatives income streams. Careful with that "we", it may not cover as much as you think. Edit: it occurred to me that I may not fully understand what your comment was meant to convey Are you saying labor is doing fine or work product created by generative AI is of acceptable quality?
- imgabe 2y ago
  I’m making a joke that a lot of existing work product is already bullshit that has to be generated by humans so we may as well automate that.
  - forgetfreeman 2y ago
    You've got me boxed in there.
  - cudgy 2y ago
    Makes sense. Let’s maximize the bullshit generation.

ijidak 2y ago

Yeah. Even if generative AI assisted workers are not as productive as their managers imagine, craven managers will still cut or refuse to hire staff and tell their employees to just use more AI to get work done. I think many of us on Hacker News underestimate the depths to which middle tier managers will go to appease higher ups. Even in the case where AI productivity is total fiction, that doesn't mean it won't have a huge impact on the workload given to a single worker. All the way back to Pharaoh in the Bible when he is quoted as saying, 'They are relaxing! Let them make bricks without straw!' Hiring reduction doesn't require an entirely real productivity boost. It only requires the MBA and Management Consulting led perception that hiring fewer humans is now the smart thing to do!