Citation is more than a hallucination. It establishes evidence to support or refute a declaration. So far, AI can't handle it. Friars in Spanish colonial Arizona encouraged Apaches to take Pima slaves. While fodder for a political point today, that fact alone doesn't tell us that the alternative would have meant execution. AI can't do deductive reasoning, nuance or serious complexity. But propagandists will love it -- and already use it to great advantage.
i spoke at a conference earlier this year where I posited that, for now, A.I. is much more of an advantage for Goliath than it is for David. Repressive forces and disinformation agents have much to gain from A.I., as it can allow them to propagandize at scale.
I've come to a similar conclusion: AI will likely make propaganda more effective and be used by authoritarian/absolutist tech to control and mislead the gullible. Smartphone obsession is ruining society and fueling misanthropy, I think.
Thought provoking indeed. Some assumptions and implications that don’t bear out so glad to hear there’s a part 2 coming. AI cannot fully replace people doing historic preservation for instance, although it assist. Can’t wait to read the next one Jason!
thanks, Angela! yes, for now there are occupations where an A.I.-powered robot or application simply will not suffice. the number of individuals who can earn a decent living in those professions has continued to dwindle, however. part of the solution involves devising new business models. something i've been stewing on and will plan to address in the follow up (which for now is still in development!)
Lots to think about here. Thanks again for taking the time and energy to write such a thought-provoking article. But to some extent I disagree that the developing situation is as dire as you describe it. History is not just academic history. Popular history is alive and well and giving many authors, television and video producers and social media purveyors an impact on their markets and giving some of them a decent living. Local history is also doing okay. Yes, there is lots of dross out there but there is some fair to good history being produced. Let me think about what you've said and what I might counter back with.
there's great history being produced in both national and local contexts. the challenge will be whether that great history achieves the visibility and influence it deserves--as well as the compensation. that remains unclear, esp as tech swallows everything in sight...
I'm sure you're right that those whose profession is the dispensing of knowledge, whether about history, literature, philosophy etc. are indeed threatened by A.I. But where people look for understanding beyond basic facts, the limitations of A.I. are clear. As noted already, A.I. can't do deductive reasoning (it can't do inductive reasoning very well either). Both skills are fundamental to understanding the past.
indeed, for now the tools are limited. however the pace of improvement may mean the tools become capable soon of things we did not expect. we're already seeing how the business models of history, the humanities and journalism are collapsing. will the need for interpretive skills be enough to save these disciplines?
Citation is more than a hallucination. It establishes evidence to support or refute a declaration. So far, AI can't handle it. Friars in Spanish colonial Arizona encouraged Apaches to take Pima slaves. While fodder for a political point today, that fact alone doesn't tell us that the alternative would have meant execution. AI can't do deductive reasoning, nuance or serious complexity. But propagandists will love it -- and already use it to great advantage.
i spoke at a conference earlier this year where I posited that, for now, A.I. is much more of an advantage for Goliath than it is for David. Repressive forces and disinformation agents have much to gain from A.I., as it can allow them to propagandize at scale.
I've come to a similar conclusion: AI will likely make propaganda more effective and be used by authoritarian/absolutist tech to control and mislead the gullible. Smartphone obsession is ruining society and fueling misanthropy, I think.
Thought provoking indeed. Some assumptions and implications that don’t bear out so glad to hear there’s a part 2 coming. AI cannot fully replace people doing historic preservation for instance, although it assist. Can’t wait to read the next one Jason!
thanks, Angela! yes, for now there are occupations where an A.I.-powered robot or application simply will not suffice. the number of individuals who can earn a decent living in those professions has continued to dwindle, however. part of the solution involves devising new business models. something i've been stewing on and will plan to address in the follow up (which for now is still in development!)
Interesting essay. It illuminates the trap of AI, that the more we use it, the more accurate it becomes. Diabolical.
part of the brilliance of how these tools have been rolled out. prove the tech works, and use the public to improve them.
Lots to think about here. Thanks again for taking the time and energy to write such a thought-provoking article. But to some extent I disagree that the developing situation is as dire as you describe it. History is not just academic history. Popular history is alive and well and giving many authors, television and video producers and social media purveyors an impact on their markets and giving some of them a decent living. Local history is also doing okay. Yes, there is lots of dross out there but there is some fair to good history being produced. Let me think about what you've said and what I might counter back with.
there's great history being produced in both national and local contexts. the challenge will be whether that great history achieves the visibility and influence it deserves--as well as the compensation. that remains unclear, esp as tech swallows everything in sight...
I'm sure you're right that those whose profession is the dispensing of knowledge, whether about history, literature, philosophy etc. are indeed threatened by A.I. But where people look for understanding beyond basic facts, the limitations of A.I. are clear. As noted already, A.I. can't do deductive reasoning (it can't do inductive reasoning very well either). Both skills are fundamental to understanding the past.
Looking forward to reading your solutions.
indeed, for now the tools are limited. however the pace of improvement may mean the tools become capable soon of things we did not expect. we're already seeing how the business models of history, the humanities and journalism are collapsing. will the need for interpretive skills be enough to save these disciplines?