GenAI is basically the microwave oven of writing. Sure it can heat up some leftovers but no one is going to a microwave restaurant and your kids will grow up and make fun of you for how much you relied on it to make bland ass food - ThreadSky

jjoque.bsky.social • 38 days ago

GenAI is basically the microwave oven of writing. Sure it can heat up some leftovers but no one is going to a microwave restaurant and your kids will grow up and make fun of you for how much you relied on it to make bland ass food

Reposted from Hank Green

There are a lot of critiques of LLMs that I agree with but "they suck and aren't useful" doesn't really hold water.

I understand people not using them because of social, economic, and environmental concerns. And I also understand people using them because they can be very useful.

Thoughts?

Comments

petergratton.bsky.social•38 days ago

This analogy is, um, cooking.

whatsnextmtthw.bsky.social•38 days ago

🫡

jjoque.bsky.social•38 days ago

Haha thanks

craighennigan.bsky.social•36 days ago

Instructors are losing this battle because its definitely improving. The writing class is going to have to go through some changes to ensure students learn to write.

brooklynkid53bskys.bsky.social•36 days ago

I don't know much about AI
but I do know that the google AI summary is often just what I need

and I know that many of my coworkers - sober serious people like engineers - find AI useful in their daily work

tov247.bsky.social•38 days ago

Sure, but there's an awful lot of meals I make that are microwaved, because I don't have the time or energy to cook all the time.

timeforma.bsky.social•38 days ago

Totally, I think the analogy captures that like the microwave, GenAI will be good enough in some cases, but it would be silly to say no one needs to learn to cook since the microwave exists

tov247.bsky.social•38 days ago

I agree, but it is also silly to say we don't need microwaves because you can "" "just" "" use the stove. Also, it is good for people to learn to cook and not be dependant on a microwave

jjoque.bsky.social•37 days ago

If microwaves boiled the oceans I feel like we’d say okay stoves are just fine

timeforma.bsky.social•37 days ago

Excellent point

combatparapsych.bsky.social•38 days ago

Saying that people won’t go to microwave restaurants dismisses the behind the scenes at some restaurants. It’s surprisingly prevalent, don’t delude yourself. Not likely you’re getting microwaved fish anywhere but those vegetables on the side could be, for instance.

combatparapsych.bsky.social•38 days ago

Which might give insight into Gen AI usage. People will absolutely go to a microwave restaurant if it’s kept in the back out of view. And far too many won’t know the difference.

heyitscrystal.bsky.social•37 days ago

I was going to say, a lot of chain restaurants use microwaved food in order to ensure consistency between franchises. People don't know that they're eating microwaved stuff and they think it's just fine, but they're missing out and paying too much for what it is.