Its amazing what the invention of the transformer architecture has achieved; even if the above doesn't come to the past it has sparked discussion of the above possibilities. For a simple idea/algorithm to have changed the world or at least people's future outlook to bleak dystopia; to create mass stock valuations, to justify the business layoffs that have happened and more is definitely significant and much more than I would of imagined just a few years ago.

I'm amazed at the sheer volume of resources allocated to the above so quickly for example; more than any other boom I've seen. Society can raise trillions quickly if it means not employing people I guess? Knowing basic economics I don't buy the utopia case with AI for the majority of people, particularly the middle class. To be clear most people I meet anecdotally (especially outside the tech space) are net negative on the changes AI is doing to their lives, even if they are in jobs like trades.

It has had a profound impact; probably much more (no matter which camp wins the argument, bulls or bears on AI) than its inventors ever thought it would. It makes me think of whether the people who invented this, once they see the end result, will be happy with their invention and the changes it will create in the world. If they aren't happy in hindsight it says something about the unfortunately all too common naivete of the techie in general and the impact of their work on society/economics/etc until it does eventually occur.