Ask HN: I am ready for the next AI winter

Do people think that there is too much hype around AI these days?

I know, chatGPT is here, and AGI is almost here - they say.

But are there significant new revenue streams from AI? Or other breakthrough “added value”?

Or, as my hypothesis goes:

Yes, there is real added value from recent AI developments, but it doesn’t outweigh all the hype.

Instead, too many companies across industries (finance, pharma, government) “waste” their attention on AI, instead of focusing on higher-value areas like getting good at data management, making quality software, and improving their management practices.

Therefore, an AI winter would actually do good, and let the world focus on higher value areas.

What do you think?

2 comments

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h2odragon 2y ago ↗

You can tell where theres still potential by the presence of the remoras sucking on it. The hype and press froth is a byproduct of the parasitic remora activity.

To mix a metaphor, the smoke is all we'll see until the fire burns out. when there's nothing left to leech, the rest of us will get to play with the leftover charcoal. That has proven to be useful in the past.

So broadly; yes: I agree. It's just gonna be a while yet.

atticora 2y ago ↗

I think it's as significant as the rest of the computing revolution combined. We're just now at the base of the S-curve and it's already starting to reshape the economy, and fast. For good or ill it will be more disruptive than the transistor and maybe the printing press. And maybe, someday, the eucaryote. I'm somewhat optimistic, but also frightened enough to be prepping for disaster for the first time.

Evolution of intelligence was one of the most important things to ever happen on this rock, and this is a new form of actual intelligence with a much higher ceiling, in its infancy or prenatal.