>Can’t use AI on a date, or at a dinner party, or during a board meeting.

I get the same "you won't always have a calculator with you" vibes from 90s teachers chiding you to show your work when I hear people say stuff like this.

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altairprime 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

I wouldn’t equate trigonometry, which underpins the classic parabolic example you’re referring to, with critical reasoning in human conversation. One is situationally useful at best; the other is mandatory to prevent exploitation by malicious people. Mental quadratics may be appealing, but the ability to reason is the bare minimum. Besides: if you’re using a calculator or AI in a board meeting, you’re likely unprepared for the board meeting.

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noosphr 4 days ago | parent [-]

I'm not sure how you did proofs in trigonometry with a calculator.

	▲	altairprime 4 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I ran my school district out of math to teach me in the 80s and ended up focusing on sysadmin in the 90s rather than repeating trigonometry or pursuing formal math at the local college. Sorry I can’t be of more use to your argument! Perhaps someone else will have applicable experiences.
	▲	4 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		[deleted]

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bigstrat2003 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

You say that like those teachers were incorrect. They were correct, and still are correct. You don't always have a computer to hand, and you do in fact need to be able to do basic math.

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toast0 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

It's pretty rare that I don't have quick access to a calculator. Which really reduces the basic math I need to do in my head.

It's more likely I will not have paper and writing implements than not having a calculator.

Besides, most people have room for fast arithmetic or integrals; fast arithmetic would be more useful, but I'm not putting the time in to get it back.

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Ekaros 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Also LLMs have fairly well proven that even if you have calculator you probably should have ability to do some sanity check on the answer. In case you hit wrong button for example. With LLMs they can be confidently wrong and unless you are able to tell you are out of luck...

Plus all about capability to actually retain whatever you ask from the model...

	▲	altairprime 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		Ironically, America finally automated one of our oldest workplace specialties: grifting! People overconfidently declaring made-up nonsense in board meetings is a classic executive behavior. I suppose it’ll be interesting to see what happens now that everyone has one in their pocket. Will their patter improve from exposure alone, or will they more easily detected because their skills weaken from disuse?

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noosphr 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

If I don't have access to my phone the power grid has been down for at least two days and by that point I've got more pressing issue than showing my work when doing basic math.