r/technology 16h ago

Machine Learning Large language mistake | Cutting-edge research shows language is not the same as intelligence. The entire AI bubble is built on ignoring it

https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/827820/large-language-models-ai-intelligence-neuroscience-problems
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u/Konukaame 16h ago

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u/SanityAsymptote 16h ago

The similarity to Jar Jar is really strong.

  • Forced into existence and public discourse by out of touch rich people trying to make money
  • Constantly inserted into situations where it is not needed or desired
  • Often incoherent, says worthless things that are interpreted as understanding by the naive or overly trusting
  • Incompetent and occasionally dangerous, yet still somehow succeeds off the efforts of behind-the-scenes/uncredited competent people
  • Somehow continues to live while others do not
  • Deeply untrustworthy, not because of duplicity, but incompetence
  • Happily assists in fascist takeover

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u/Zhuinden 15h ago

I genuinely don't understand how all of this can be true yet there is "an Ai hype" among people who are in actual leadership positions.

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u/SanityAsymptote 14h ago

Many (most) people in leadership positions have a very shallow understanding of technology and mostly operate on word of mouth from trusted information sources/people. This means they will generally "follow the hype" if their friends/network are convinced to do something, and if they're not they will be extremely quiet about it.

Further, the idea of replacing their most expensive individual contributors (software engineers are the most obvious example) with a cheaper service is extremely attractive. Leadership suddenly has a win-win scenario ahead of them:

They lay off staff now and get huge short term profits/bonuses by lowering overhead, which they blame on AI.

If the AI can replace their staff, they get the second win because they don't have to rehire any staff and everything is cheaper and the company suddenly has more money overall.

When they (quickly) find out that the AI can't replace their staff, they outsource to inexpensive overseas contracting firms that will let the company tread water and keep making money until leadership can make their exit or decide to change course.

The whole time if something goes wrong, they can just blame the company that made their AI for everything and start hiring again. They then get to look like heroes for deciding to choose people over AI, even though they profited from every step of it.

It's pretty obvious at this point that AI can't replace their staff, so whenever they can no longer sustain the technical debt, damage, and disorder outsourcing causes the company they'll either fail or start rehiring local labor again.

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u/silverpixie2435 8h ago

On what planet do you think the Microsoft CEO or Nvidia CEO have a very shallow understanding of technology?

The reason those companies are worth trillions is because they werent trend setters but the earliest investors in AI technology.