So, Sam Altman, the big cheese over at OpenAI, thinks your kids are gonna be dumber than a box of circuits. Yeah, you heard that right. Your precious little Timmy, with his sticky fingers and questionable life choices, is apparently gonna be outsmarted by the same technology that can’t even figure out if a picture is a cat or a goddamn croissant.
I’m sitting here on a Tuesday morning, nursing a glass of something amber and trying to decide if it’s too early for another. Probably not. Anyway, this whole thing has me scratching my head, which is saying something because I usually reserve head-scratching for when I’m trying to remember where I parked my car.
Altman’s out there on some podcast, the “ReThinking” podcast, no less, spouting off about how AI is gonna be the valedictorian of the future, leaving our offspring in the intellectual dust. He says we’re in a “once-in-human-history transition” where humans are no longer the smartest things on the planet. Sounds like a load of horseshit to me, but what do I know? I’m just a guy who can barely operate a toaster without setting off the smoke alarm.
But here’s the real head-scratcher. Altman isn’t saying this to scare us. No, he’s saying we should focus on what makes us “uniquely human.” You know, stuff like emotions, moral reasoning, and the ability to shotgun a beer without spilling. Things that AI, in its infinite wisdom, can’t quite grasp.
He’s saying that while these silicon smarty-pants might be able to crunch numbers faster than a bookie on Derby day, they can’t feel. They can’t love. They can’t get drunk and make bad decisions that lead to hilarious stories later on. And they definitely can’t appreciate the beauty of a perfectly poured whiskey.
So, what’s a parent to do? Well, according to Altman, we should be teaching our kids to be “agile learners” and to focus on asking the right questions instead of just spitting out answers like some kind of fleshy search engine.
Sounds a bit like new-age mumbo jumbo if you ask me. Back in my day, we learned by getting our asses kicked by life, and we turned out just fine. Okay, maybe not “fine,” but we’re here, aren’t we?
He’s also pushing this whole “universal basic income” thing, saying it’ll give people the freedom to pursue their passions without worrying about things like rent and food. I guess that’s one way to look at it. Another way is that it’s a fancy term for “free money,” and I’ve never met a handout that didn’t come with strings attached.
But here’s the thing that really gets my goat. Altman’s talking about the ethics of AI, saying that humans need to set the rules. Well, no shit, Sherlock. Who else is gonna do it? The robots? Last time I checked, they were still struggling to open a damn door without smashing into the wall.
He’s worried about things like algorithmic bias and the concentration of power. You know, the usual boogeymen that keep tech CEOs up at night. But what about the real issues? What about the fact that AI is probably gonna take over my job, leaving me with nothing to do but drink and complain about the state of the world?
And then there’s this whole “perfectly empathetic thing” bit. Altman says that talking to a flawless, understanding AI all the time won’t fulfill our social needs. We’re wired to care about what other people think and feel, even if those people are a bunch of drunken fools like me.
He thinks AI can help us solve big problems like climate change and healthcare. Sure, maybe it can. But can it also fix a hangover? Can it tell a joke that doesn’t sound like it was written by a committee of robots? Can it appreciate the simple pleasure of a cigarette on a rainy afternoon?
I doubt it.
Altman’s walking a tightrope between optimism and caution, which is more than I can say for myself after a few drinks. He sees AI as a tool to amplify human potential. I see it as a potential threat to my already questionable liver function.
He says future generations will just accept AI as a fact of life. “Of course, it’s smarter than us; of course, it can do things we can’t. But also, who really cares?” Well, I care, Sam. I care because I’m a human, damn it, and I’m not ready to be relegated to the intellectual scrap heap just yet.
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s that we should embrace our flaws, our imperfections, our uniquely human ability to screw things up in spectacular fashion. Maybe it’s that we should teach our kids to be more than just data processors, to be curious, creative, and maybe a little bit rebellious.
Or maybe it’s just that I need another drink.
Yeah, that’s probably it.
Cheers, or whatever you people say these days. This round’s on me.
Source: AI Will Be Smarter Than Your Kids. Here’s What To Do