I think one of the things that really separates us from the high primates is that we’re tool builders. I read a study that measured the efficiency of locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer. And, humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing, about a third of the way down the list. It was not too proud a showing for the crown of creation. So, that didn’t look so good. But, then somebody at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of locomotion for a man on a bicycle. And, a man on a bicycle, a human on a bicycle, blew the condor away, completely off the top of the charts.

And that’s what a computer is to me. What a computer is to me is it’s the most remarkable tool that we’ve ever come up with, and it’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.

~ Steve Jobs

The Noise Around AI

AI has been in the news a lot recently. Half the news is from tech bro’s about how “AGI” will save the world. Some are about how AI or AGI will destroy the world, and some are about how AI and AGI are overrated and completely useless. No one can even agree on what AGI is, let alone how close we actually are, or if it’s even possible, but the hype cycle is in full swing.

I have a lot of thoughts on all of that, and have been trying to come to a conclusion on how I find these tools useful, how they aren’t useful, as well as the complex moral questions about using AI, from the energy consumption to the vast amount of intellectual property with no second thought about the morality or consequences. But, it’s complicated. I don’t think there is a single answer about any of this.

AI as a Tool, Not a Threat, and Not a Silver Bullet

Then there are the companies laying off people already due to AI.

• Shopify CEO - “Before asking for more headcount and resources, teams must demonstrate why they cannot get what they want done using AI”
• Crowdstrike says it will lay off 500 workers
• Meta layoffs have begun. Here’s everything we know so far.
• Etc.

These tools are pretty incredible, for what they are. Anyone who has used them extensively, however, knows that they absolutely can’t replace people in a company. To me, the Steve Jobs quote about the “bicycle for the mind” is a perfect analogy, though he was talking about the personal computer at the time.

A bicycle by itself doesn’t do anything. It is a tool to enhance what people are able to do. When computers came out, there was a similar panic about human jobs being replaced. Sure, things changed, but I don’t think anyone would argue that people’s jobs are not needed. In fact, the personal computer helped create a ton of new kinds of jobs, because people were able to do more. AI is just a tool. It augments what people can do. Like other tools, it has to be used correctly in order to be useful. I believe it truly can improve productivity in several areas, but it should be a way to make people better at what they are doing, not replace them.

None of the companies mentioned need to save money. It isn’t about that. Anil Dash wrote about this in his post “AI-first” is the new Return To Office.

Anil knows this space well, and isn’t shy about calling out the toxicity that has infected Silicon Valley -

Big tech CEOs and VCs really love performing for each other. We know they hang out in group chats like high schoolers, preening and sending each other texts, each trying to make sure they’re all wearing the latest fashions, whether it’s a gold chain or a MAGA hat or just repeating a phrase that they heard from another founder. A key way of showing that they’re part of this cohort is to make sure they’re having a tantrum and acting out against their workers fairly regularly.

He echos a sentiment I’ve talked about several times, said far more eloquently than I have been able to -

The strangest part is, the AI pushers don’t have to lie about what AI can do! If, as they say, AI tools are going to get better quickly, then let them do so and trust that smart people will pick them up and use them. If you think your workers and colleagues are too stupid to recognize good tools that will help them do their jobs better, then… you are a bad leader and should step down. Because you’ve created a broken culture.

Completely true about AI and similar fields like Self Driving. These technologies are incredible. Using them feels like magic. But that’s never enough. The tech bro CEO’s and VC’s still have to create more urgency, still have to lie about capabilities to keep everyone’s attention focused on them, out of sheer insecurity and the insatiable need for more money, more power, and more control. It’s exhausting.

Read his whole article, it’s really good.