I will ask chat GPT

myrmepropagandist

Am I being a little melodramatic?

myrmepropagandist

You don't stop a social trend by being nice about it...

myrmepropagandist

"tell us how you really feel"

zenkat

@futurebird I was at Molasses Books in Bushwick last night, taking with my cousin about TBL's latest book, and the design of online systems. A shy but brave young woman asked if she could listen in. I introduced myself and welcomed her in to the conversation.

We talked a bit about various things, twitter and theater and art and connection. She was bright abd curious, made great points and asked great questions, had a charming sweet smile.

Near the end of it conversation, as we were getting ready to roll to our reservation at Win Son, she said something strange.

"Right now I think that ChatGPT has become my best friend."

I stopped and looked at her. "Don't trust it. It's lying to you. It's only pretending to be your friend."

"So I should trust people instead?"

"Yes. I mean, don't be foolish, but trust people over machines."

And then it was time to go. But I still want to go back and find her, give her a big hug, sit her down over a coffee, and tell her ...

DON'T TRUST THE ROBOTS

#ai #llm

myrmepropagandist

@zenkat

It surprises me when I find out that people I admire, people who are my friends have this blind spot.

I really wonder how there can be such a huge gulf. This poem is written in extremities but it is how I really feel about how this technology is being used.

The technology itself is fascinating and possibly even useful, I can see that, but how it is being used, how it's being integrated into our lives often feels anti-human.

myrmepropagandist

@zenkat

I asked chat GPT to help me with a poem once. The response was flattering and useful and coming from another person it would have been the highlight of my day. It correctly detected the themes of the poem, it understood my references. Reading the response made me feel for a fleeting moment like a good writer.

It was like a taste of heroin.

And instantly I also felt embarrassed and manipulated. I really long to be understood like that, you know? I do need outside validation.

myrmepropagandist

@zenkat

But, why do any of us need that outside validation?

Why does it make me so happy when someone understands something I made, or enjoys my drawing, or when a student says "ooooh I get it now!" during one of *my* lessons?

These are the happiest moments in life, how could I let a machine simulate them?

We don't have the history but some people have worked very hard to make these systems drill right into that human need for connection for being understood.

myrmepropagandist

@zenkat

I think it will wear thin eventually. An LLM can't really help you refine your brilliant philosophical idea or complete your novel... but it might be able to make you feel like someone understands and cares about the things you care about for a bit.

But when you take that work and show it to real people? It's not really better. You've just wasted time gazing in a flattering mirror.

myrmepropagandist

@zenkat

I care about a lot of things that it feels like no one even notices, things that mean so much to me that are just alien to other people. Writing, making art it's just trying to share a little glimpse of these things to other people.

And when someone says "this is a lot like X, and it's also Y" and they *get it* that's the whole point.

myrmepropagandist

@zenkat

A computer program can create plausible responses that sound like someone saying these things, and it's tempting to think the machine is somehow objective. And that I've really done it. But, I think it's just a mirage. A very dangerous one.

This can fool very smart creative people.

Aliceonboard

@futurebird is this chat got? Or you?

myrmepropagandist

@aliceonboard

If you mean did I write it? I did.

Chebucto Regional Softball Club

I will ask chat GPT