4 ms·

I don't know if I fully agree. The input clearly shows the need for emotional support more than "how do I pass this test?" The answer by 4o is comical even if y

by sureIy 2y ago

I don't know if I fully agree. The input clearly shows the need for emotional support more than "how do I pass this test?" The answer by 4o is comical even if you know you're talking to a machine. It reminds me of the advice to "not offer solutions when a woman talks about her problems, but just listen."

neuroticnews25 2y ago
How could a machine provide emotional support? When I ask questions like this to LLMs, it's always to brainstorm solutions. I get annoyed when I receive fake-attention follow-up questions instead. I guess there's a trade-off between being human and being useful. But this isn't unique to LLMs, it's similar to how one wouldn't expect a deep personal connection with a customer service professional.
- cynicalpeace 2y ago
  There are some businesses trying to do emotional support with AI, like AI GF's, etc Some will make some profit as a niche thing (millions of users on a global scale, and if unit economics work, can make millions of $) But it seems it will never be something really mainstream because most normal people don't care what a bot says or does. The example I always think of is chess bots have been better at chess than humans for decades. But very few people watch stockfish tournaments. Everyone loves Magnus Carlsen though. This is 100x for emotional support type things.
  - sebastiennight 2y ago
    I agree with you on the timescale of a single generation. I disagree with you on the timescale of n ≥ 2 generations: kids/teens/adults will pick up new habits and ways of seeing the world. Just like someone like me can appear like a grizzled old fool for not seeing the appeal of TikTok, it's 100% possible to be blinded to the very real appeal of a 24/7 sycophantic "friend". And I'll give you a concrete example: I was at a business conference 3 weeks ago where I talked to the group about the trap people could easily fall into, of ditching personal/professional support for AI support (the trap is: it's easy for the "digital friend" to get you roped in by just being sycophantic enough - "it's never your fault"). And then in the very same meeting, one of the keynote speeches was this influential female CEO explaining how she had "taught her custom GPT to become her spiritual leader" and how this GPT spiritual teacher was acting as her guide, therapist and coach (complete with a name, backstory and profile picture). I was rolling my eyes so hard they might have fallen out of my head. This is where we're going towards, and people like this misguided CEO will lead their audiences and followers straight there (especially when that is combined with financial incentives or social rewards).
    - cynicalpeace 2y ago
      People like that will be well served by the niche businesses I mentioned, and those businesses will make a killing. but the average person won't be using it

by sureIy 2y ago

neuroticnews25 2y ago

How could a machine provide emotional support? When I ask questions like this to LLMs, it's always to brainstorm solutions. I get annoyed when I receive fake-attention follow-up questions instead. I guess there's a trade-off between being human and being useful. But this isn't unique to LLMs, it's similar to how one wouldn't expect a deep personal connection with a customer service professional.

cynicalpeace 2y ago
There are some businesses trying to do emotional support with AI, like AI GF's, etc Some will make some profit as a niche thing (millions of users on a global scale, and if unit economics work, can make millions of $) But it seems it will never be something really mainstream because most normal people don't care what a bot says or does. The example I always think of is chess bots have been better at chess than humans for decades. But very few people watch stockfish tournaments. Everyone loves Magnus Carlsen though. This is 100x for emotional support type things.
- sebastiennight 2y ago
  I agree with you on the timescale of a single generation. I disagree with you on the timescale of n ≥ 2 generations: kids/teens/adults will pick up new habits and ways of seeing the world. Just like someone like me can appear like a grizzled old fool for not seeing the appeal of TikTok, it's 100% possible to be blinded to the very real appeal of a 24/7 sycophantic "friend". And I'll give you a concrete example: I was at a business conference 3 weeks ago where I talked to the group about the trap people could easily fall into, of ditching personal/professional support for AI support (the trap is: it's easy for the "digital friend" to get you roped in by just being sycophantic enough - "it's never your fault"). And then in the very same meeting, one of the keynote speeches was this influential female CEO explaining how she had "taught her custom GPT to become her spiritual leader" and how this GPT spiritual teacher was acting as her guide, therapist and coach (complete with a name, backstory and profile picture). I was rolling my eyes so hard they might have fallen out of my head. This is where we're going towards, and people like this misguided CEO will lead their audiences and followers straight there (especially when that is combined with financial incentives or social rewards).
  - cynicalpeace 2y ago
    People like that will be well served by the niche businesses I mentioned, and those businesses will make a killing. but the average person won't be using it