I feel like you could replace “AI” with “computers” across much of TFA and it would read like something from a few decades ago (ignoring the web development specifics…)

That lends some credence to the “AI is a tool” position I hear in some forums, though I do think there are real harms from the vast scale of AI deployment.

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eqmvii 8 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Yeah. I buy that there are some use cases where AI is a trap, or not as good as people.

I'm also chatting with my logs and triaging things like 10x faster in multiple open terminal sessions while I post on HN right now. So I'm also certain there are some use cases where not using AI will soon be professional negligence!

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levkk 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Not if he can also deliver equally good or better results, which I suspect he will. Not everyone needs it to do a good job, and for others, it could be a net negative.

Using computers created an unambiguous productivity boost. Same cannot be said for all types of software engineering with AI; that's why we keep having this debate. The results are mixed.

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usedbytes 6 hours ago | parent | next [-]

There are people with literally thousands of hours spent in WoW or Counter Strike. I don’t think you can talk about anything in absolutes can you?

	▲	levkk 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I personally have thousands of hours in _both_ WoW and Counter Strike, and yet ...

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7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

[deleted]

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js8 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

No, you cannot say the same about computers, because the technology is almost never the problem. The problem is cultural.

The deregulation since the 70s created oligarchs and encouraged lack of moral scruples. See also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49416055

It's a coincidence that it occurred with the rise of the Internet (computers existed before) and AI. These coincidences happened in the past with other technologies.

So the OP has a valid position to boycott AI, just like in 1870s they should have boycotted trains or in 1910s the oil industry.

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8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

[deleted]

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mapontosevenths 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> I do not currently use AI for professional work.

I came here to say "Yes, and my grandfather thinks the internet is the 'mark of the beast.'" I'm not really sure what makes this persons opinion more noteworthy (in the wikipedia sense) than my grandfathers.

I suppose it's popular here because a lot of people who will be forced to learn new skills if AI takes their job hang out here, but hearing that buggy-whip manufacturers hate those new-fangled automobiles isn't' really newsworthy.

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skydhash 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

[flagged]

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usedbytes 8 hours ago | parent [-]

Yes, not literally s/AI/computers/.

Computers have produced untold exabytes of spam. Hit pieces, security vulnerabilities and data leaks, creation and distribution of CSAM… Copyright infringement on an unprecedented scale, massive increase in water and electricity consumption. etc.

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skydhash 8 hours ago | parent [-]

> Computers have produced untold exabytes of spam. Hit pieces, security vulnerabilities and data leaks[...] massive increase in water and electricity consumption. etc.

Then you must blame cars and airplanes as mass murdering tools as well.

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mapontosevenths 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

> Then you must blame cars and airplanes as mass murdering tools as well.

Exactly, you can't throw away the entire tool because some people use it poorly. You know, like AI.

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js8 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Of course you can! It's called boycott.

The workers who strike in a factory don't do that because they think the thing being produced is being socially useless. They do it because they demand social change.

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skydhash 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

We usually don’t. We look at the harm/benefits ratio and if way too big, we usually ban them. Guns, various chemicals, explosives,… is not allowed for any random cases. I’m not calling for regulation but you can understand why someone prefer not to associate themselves with it.

	▲	mapontosevenths 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> you can understand why someone prefer not to associate themselves with it. My theory is that China is spending a fortune convincing westerners AI is a moral issue using sock puppets so they can win an arms race that will literally decide the future of humankind and separate the haves from the have-nots. They saw how well it worked for the Russians with our politics and are now using the same playbook to ensure we hamstring ourselves while they continue unbothered.

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usedbytes 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I’m not expressing judgement either way, I just think it’s interesting to observe the parallels (yes cars, planes, guns too)

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keybored 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

People think reducing some argument to “use tech” or “use computers” is a slam dunk nowadays. But see what a beautiful mess of adtech, antisocial and predatory social media, massive privacy breaches over trivialities (both in professional conduct and what the service was about) with no accountability, surveillance tech, revenge porn, scams, robber tech barons... and with that in mind do we really have anything to gloat to the naysayers from “a few decades ago”? ;)

Tsk. Maybe that’s what you were going for.