Thanks Marco and Fabio, my optimism on AI future is often clouded with doubts (or fear?). I am a brain stroke survivor, which give me the opportunity to have a general understanding of cognitive processes and brain functions. our brain primary function is to complete a task with the minimum use of energy as it is the organ that consumes the most energy at rest. as humans we tend to the same behavioral pattern of minimal energy consumption for maximum output, which in general can be considered a positive trait, but Marco's comment on decision-making and educational trends are deteriorating led me suspect that the choice simpler and easier is preferred from complex and harder, so naturally we love to leave the driving wheel to somebody else that takes care, cause it requires too much energy to drive. In a cathartic experience if we understand collectively how to use AI for good by educating in schools and put enough energy to set cognitive boundaries we will have stopped or even reverse entropy contributing to the leap forward, wish you a joyful sunday.p
I think your point about Tyler Cowen is right. Without those state capital memorization exercises, he would never have become the „I have an opinion on everything“ social media phenomenon that he is now.
Another well analysed piece Marco. I don't think anyone will disagree that exercising the mind and body at an early age can lead to overall better mental and physical health in later years of our lives. So I completely agree that use of AI should be delayed as much as possible for children to be able to develop their own cognitive skills. In fact I would go even further and suggest that it might even help senior citizens to use their own brains as long as possible rather than resort to using AI (or for that matter any search engine either). Might be worthwhile to search for any research on this subject using either of these methods!:)
The more I think about whether AI is good or evil, the more my brain hurts. Whenever I join a conversation about the dark side of AI, I hear distant echoes about what our elders said about calculators and Excel spreadsheets. Kids need to know their math facts (and state capitals)! I also think we may be downplaying just how much biased and rote teaching goes on in classrooms staffed by humans. And maybe that just reinforces your point that we need to be skeptical of the hidden bias behind all answers, especially those that literally spill out on the screen in front of you. But skeptical doesn't mean to reject them outright. Done right, these are tools that should have our brainwaves humming! As always, Marco, thanks for a provocative post.
Thanks Christopher, and I do agree with you. My emphasis is indeed on the need to be aware of these tools' limitations, and to learn how to use them well. What worries me most is that I see a trend towards enthusiastic and a-critical acceptance. You make an excellent point however by noting that traditional teaching can also often be biased and discourage rather than foster critical thinking - memories of my own high school experience came back as I read your words...
Great article Marco and right on spot regarding cognitive exercise vs automatic tasks.As you know I am an enthusiastic promoter of AI but still trying to understand its implications which in your article are all valid and real. I feel that if we enter into the every details of its implications we will have a perfect stand off between in favor and against cause simply nobody can predict outcome of complex models (chaos) yet alone brain functionality. Im trying to move my thinking more towards anthropologic / philosophical trying to find answers to chaos, that as we evolve particularly with the use of tools we loose and gain certain abilities its part of our history, we have progressively developed tools that helped us in increasing core tasks of our existence, every time with a small step into the unknown that triggered the best quality trait of our evolution: adaptability. The ironic aspect is that there has to be a jump into the unknown to trigger this quality, is like pushing to evolve to be better...? on the other hand if there isn't we don't evolve. Now the dilemma is this jump too faraway over the brain that we don't understand or somehow we will adapt and thrive in collaboration with AI gen. I think evolution has inherit risk in its path that either kill or cure but is still necessary...? Im entering into a infinite loop of dilemmas that will push me anyhow to jump off the cliff at a certain point (figuratively) cause is unsolvable and then we aspire to a prey to the divine ' e che dio ce la mandi buona...'. thanks for having this.p
Thanks Paolo, lots to reflect on here, and I particularly appreciate your constructive and optimistic perspective. I want to believe that you are closer to the mark -- that adaptability will once again push us forward towards a better future. What gives me pause -- and fuels my concern -- is that it seems to me that decision-making in many of our societies has deteriorated over the past couple of decades. This would seem to signal that our adaptability is failing us. But it might also be that I am focusing on a short-term swing for the worse, which might be just part of the ups and down on a structural upward trend. Speriamo! In the meanwhile I really value and enjoy our back and forth here
Thanks Marco and Fabio, my optimism on AI future is often clouded with doubts (or fear?). I am a brain stroke survivor, which give me the opportunity to have a general understanding of cognitive processes and brain functions. our brain primary function is to complete a task with the minimum use of energy as it is the organ that consumes the most energy at rest. as humans we tend to the same behavioral pattern of minimal energy consumption for maximum output, which in general can be considered a positive trait, but Marco's comment on decision-making and educational trends are deteriorating led me suspect that the choice simpler and easier is preferred from complex and harder, so naturally we love to leave the driving wheel to somebody else that takes care, cause it requires too much energy to drive. In a cathartic experience if we understand collectively how to use AI for good by educating in schools and put enough energy to set cognitive boundaries we will have stopped or even reverse entropy contributing to the leap forward, wish you a joyful sunday.p
I think your point about Tyler Cowen is right. Without those state capital memorization exercises, he would never have become the „I have an opinion on everything“ social media phenomenon that he is now.
Another well analysed piece Marco. I don't think anyone will disagree that exercising the mind and body at an early age can lead to overall better mental and physical health in later years of our lives. So I completely agree that use of AI should be delayed as much as possible for children to be able to develop their own cognitive skills. In fact I would go even further and suggest that it might even help senior citizens to use their own brains as long as possible rather than resort to using AI (or for that matter any search engine either). Might be worthwhile to search for any research on this subject using either of these methods!:)
I will ask ChatGPT...
The more I think about whether AI is good or evil, the more my brain hurts. Whenever I join a conversation about the dark side of AI, I hear distant echoes about what our elders said about calculators and Excel spreadsheets. Kids need to know their math facts (and state capitals)! I also think we may be downplaying just how much biased and rote teaching goes on in classrooms staffed by humans. And maybe that just reinforces your point that we need to be skeptical of the hidden bias behind all answers, especially those that literally spill out on the screen in front of you. But skeptical doesn't mean to reject them outright. Done right, these are tools that should have our brainwaves humming! As always, Marco, thanks for a provocative post.
Thanks Christopher, and I do agree with you. My emphasis is indeed on the need to be aware of these tools' limitations, and to learn how to use them well. What worries me most is that I see a trend towards enthusiastic and a-critical acceptance. You make an excellent point however by noting that traditional teaching can also often be biased and discourage rather than foster critical thinking - memories of my own high school experience came back as I read your words...
Great article Marco and right on spot regarding cognitive exercise vs automatic tasks.As you know I am an enthusiastic promoter of AI but still trying to understand its implications which in your article are all valid and real. I feel that if we enter into the every details of its implications we will have a perfect stand off between in favor and against cause simply nobody can predict outcome of complex models (chaos) yet alone brain functionality. Im trying to move my thinking more towards anthropologic / philosophical trying to find answers to chaos, that as we evolve particularly with the use of tools we loose and gain certain abilities its part of our history, we have progressively developed tools that helped us in increasing core tasks of our existence, every time with a small step into the unknown that triggered the best quality trait of our evolution: adaptability. The ironic aspect is that there has to be a jump into the unknown to trigger this quality, is like pushing to evolve to be better...? on the other hand if there isn't we don't evolve. Now the dilemma is this jump too faraway over the brain that we don't understand or somehow we will adapt and thrive in collaboration with AI gen. I think evolution has inherit risk in its path that either kill or cure but is still necessary...? Im entering into a infinite loop of dilemmas that will push me anyhow to jump off the cliff at a certain point (figuratively) cause is unsolvable and then we aspire to a prey to the divine ' e che dio ce la mandi buona...'. thanks for having this.p
Thanks Paolo, lots to reflect on here, and I particularly appreciate your constructive and optimistic perspective. I want to believe that you are closer to the mark -- that adaptability will once again push us forward towards a better future. What gives me pause -- and fuels my concern -- is that it seems to me that decision-making in many of our societies has deteriorated over the past couple of decades. This would seem to signal that our adaptability is failing us. But it might also be that I am focusing on a short-term swing for the worse, which might be just part of the ups and down on a structural upward trend. Speriamo! In the meanwhile I really value and enjoy our back and forth here
Agree with your conclusions. No amount of AI can replicate human brain.
I guess we could argue on which human brain.... :) but yes, we agree