Technology is an amazing hype-inducing phenomenon. With good reason. It always transforms things. But we also tend to over-hype the latest big thing. Like AI today. I remember the search and digital hype of the ‘00s. And the internet hype of the ‘90s before that. And the hype around the two PCs of the ‘70s and ‘80s (personal computers and personal calculators). And the space race hype of the ‘60s (which gave us Tang! lol). And there were the 1964 and 1939 World’s Fairs and the air travel hype of the early 20th century. On and on. So, AI. It’s a big deal. A very big deal. But a bigger deal? Bigger than anything before it? Or just another step up in a long progression of fantastic tech advances? To be seen. I’m welcoming it—I love new tech. But I’m not gonna get breathless about it.
Alan Hale
2mo
AI is a force. It can automate things, do things cheaper, do routine tasks. The copywriting is poor now like ingredients on toothpaste. No emotion. No thinking
Mark Klein
2mo
AI will fuel a huge increase in corporate productivity and buoy the economy as a result. There are applications for every industry. Agree, we saw similar productivity surges from PCs, the Internet, Search, and Online Sales. BUT, AI brings a new set of critical challenges beyond worries about Privacy and Digital Security. The new frontier will be all about Veracity and Authenticity... new safeguards are needed and new legal tenets to navigate copyright issues.
Phil Mc Mahon
2mo
I’m inclined to agree J. Walker Smith, I posted something along a similar line just yesterday. It can be easy to get swept along by waves of hysteria…..but it’s important to just step outside, get some fresh air, and ask ourselves if we can really see the street in front of us suddenly being filled with people wearing VR headsets and walking robotic dogs after parking their flying cars and going to shop in stores where NFTs are accepted as regular payment. 🙃
Alan Hale
2mo
Reminds me of the 80s when the market rewarded dot coms.
Peter Dennehy
2mo
Driverless cars....
Wendell Hall
2mo
Well said Dr. J. W. Smith.
Larisa Mats
2mo
Well said!
Totally agree brand new technology can stimulate hype that far exceeds initial capabilities. Yet, cars, airplanes, television, satellites, personal computers, CT Scans/MRIs, the Internet and smartphones have all had a huge impact on society. AI has been building steam over the last 30 years, and has recently hit an inflection point. Looking back over the last century, I would assert that in each successive decade the impact of intelligent technology is becoming much harder to predict or control. Social media is the prime poster child for unintended consequences—which is why I suspect there is so much attention right now on AI relative to unknown future benefits and risks.