Brilliant analysis, Jim, you really nailed it and punctured the mystique of AGI. And so did Mo Biters: it's a con. What a shocker, LOL! We are living in the Age of the Confidence Men, and the tech bros are the masters of ceremony, wielding their bright shiny AI orbs like magicians' tricks. The AI chatbots are an elaborate trick. All they have to do is convince (or fool) you that they are smarter than a less skeptical you. This is much easier if you have suspended your disbelief, as happens in cults, or even when one reads or views fiction. The role of myth is paramount in this process, as you have eloquently explained. I love the analogy to religion and the Tower of Babel story. It is powerful on so many levels: as a parable of the dangers of centralized power/authority, on the one hand, the anti-dote being diversity and, I would add, the decentralization that goes along with that. Some of this reminds me of Decoding Trolls' Disinfolklore, too.
The other religious allusion to an "AGI Messiah" that you point out, a technological Messiah, is spot on! The psychological phenomenon or structure is that of a cult. These broligarchs are high on their own supply. There is a striking analogy to the 'Christofascist' cult of so-called Christian nationalism, and other messianic cults. And, like the millenialists of previous eras, who were convinced the Messiah was coming back at the turn of each century, when that did not materialize, they just kept moving the goalposts; and likewise, the broligarchs tell their acolytes 'AGI is coming'. Another apt analogy is to the cult of 'Q' and its prognostication that 'the storm is coming'. The level of irrationality in all of this 'technology' and how it is viewed is unsettling. It is highly emotionally and psychologically charged, which to me is a warning sign that says, proceed with caution and a healthy skepticism. And take care not to fetishize this rather mundane technology. But the financial and economic fall-out of this over-hyped, over-rated (over-invested, soon to be over-built) and rather unpopular 'AGI simulation' is the most concerning aspect of it to me, including the environmental havoc it is bound to cause. Thank you for this gem of insight into a dark and complex subject.
Question: Sorry if this is a stupid question, but here goes: What do these AI centers that they are rushing to build all over the country, that will require gargantuan amounts of energy and water, do exactly?
What about the age of steam trains, 1820s-1960s. By the 1950s the bean counters were going nuts about the cost of the nationwide support infrastructure (coaling and watering points), extreme high maintenance of vehicles, not to mention all the waste and pollution.
They couldn’t wait to scrap it all and replace with diesel/electric.
For reference, Britain’s vintage tourist railways say the steam locos cost 3X more than diesels to operate.
My point is, the AI/robotic future proposed by tech bros is just as complex, inefficient, and dirty as the steam era. So once it’s all up and running, the bean counters will want it scrapped!
In defence of the steam era, they had no alternative technology, and vehicles would last 30 years before being worn out or obsolete.
Compare that to AI data centres with computers that would be obsolete within 2 years.
I can't get enough of your writing Jim. I'm in the UK but the digital menace, as I call it, is global. The fact that most of the purveyors of this are American just means it's getting to you first. We also have our mindless idiots that will be taken in and I'm hoping I can learn enough to protest against this. Palantir has already convinced this government that we need them in our beloved NHS (btw it is being proven not to work) and now they want to imbed it into the MOD (Ministry of Defence.) Maybe I've read too many stories by George Orwell or - I now believe they were a precursor to what we are witnessing now many many years later. Thanks for all you do to keep us informed. It's such an important job that not too many people are doing because those that have your knowledge would rather keep quiet and rake in the big bucks.
I'm betting that this whole AI phenomenon( and data centers) is going to blow over or be out of fashion as new computer chips and SoftWare get updated and Smarter in the next few years. You sure are smart,Jim, thanks and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
Brilliant analysis, Jim, you really nailed it and punctured the mystique of AGI. And so did Mo Biters: it's a con. What a shocker, LOL! We are living in the Age of the Confidence Men, and the tech bros are the masters of ceremony, wielding their bright shiny AI orbs like magicians' tricks. The AI chatbots are an elaborate trick. All they have to do is convince (or fool) you that they are smarter than a less skeptical you. This is much easier if you have suspended your disbelief, as happens in cults, or even when one reads or views fiction. The role of myth is paramount in this process, as you have eloquently explained. I love the analogy to religion and the Tower of Babel story. It is powerful on so many levels: as a parable of the dangers of centralized power/authority, on the one hand, the anti-dote being diversity and, I would add, the decentralization that goes along with that. Some of this reminds me of Decoding Trolls' Disinfolklore, too.
The other religious allusion to an "AGI Messiah" that you point out, a technological Messiah, is spot on! The psychological phenomenon or structure is that of a cult. These broligarchs are high on their own supply. There is a striking analogy to the 'Christofascist' cult of so-called Christian nationalism, and other messianic cults. And, like the millenialists of previous eras, who were convinced the Messiah was coming back at the turn of each century, when that did not materialize, they just kept moving the goalposts; and likewise, the broligarchs tell their acolytes 'AGI is coming'. Another apt analogy is to the cult of 'Q' and its prognostication that 'the storm is coming'. The level of irrationality in all of this 'technology' and how it is viewed is unsettling. It is highly emotionally and psychologically charged, which to me is a warning sign that says, proceed with caution and a healthy skepticism. And take care not to fetishize this rather mundane technology. But the financial and economic fall-out of this over-hyped, over-rated (over-invested, soon to be over-built) and rather unpopular 'AGI simulation' is the most concerning aspect of it to me, including the environmental havoc it is bound to cause. Thank you for this gem of insight into a dark and complex subject.
Glenn Beck’s comment brought it home to me because it stank of being a “con”. Great choice to make your point.
As other person asked - why all the data centers and why the rush???
They aren’t above the law or the rules everyone else has to go through. Are they???? Who out numbers who?
Question: Sorry if this is a stupid question, but here goes: What do these AI centers that they are rushing to build all over the country, that will require gargantuan amounts of energy and water, do exactly?
What about the age of steam trains, 1820s-1960s. By the 1950s the bean counters were going nuts about the cost of the nationwide support infrastructure (coaling and watering points), extreme high maintenance of vehicles, not to mention all the waste and pollution.
They couldn’t wait to scrap it all and replace with diesel/electric.
For reference, Britain’s vintage tourist railways say the steam locos cost 3X more than diesels to operate.
My point is, the AI/robotic future proposed by tech bros is just as complex, inefficient, and dirty as the steam era. So once it’s all up and running, the bean counters will want it scrapped!
In defence of the steam era, they had no alternative technology, and vehicles would last 30 years before being worn out or obsolete.
Compare that to AI data centres with computers that would be obsolete within 2 years.
I can't get enough of your writing Jim. I'm in the UK but the digital menace, as I call it, is global. The fact that most of the purveyors of this are American just means it's getting to you first. We also have our mindless idiots that will be taken in and I'm hoping I can learn enough to protest against this. Palantir has already convinced this government that we need them in our beloved NHS (btw it is being proven not to work) and now they want to imbed it into the MOD (Ministry of Defence.) Maybe I've read too many stories by George Orwell or - I now believe they were a precursor to what we are witnessing now many many years later. Thanks for all you do to keep us informed. It's such an important job that not too many people are doing because those that have your knowledge would rather keep quiet and rake in the big bucks.
ThankQ for the Mo Bitar clip, he's really smart, along with being a hoot & a holler.
I'm betting that this whole AI phenomenon( and data centers) is going to blow over or be out of fashion as new computer chips and SoftWare get updated and Smarter in the next few years. You sure are smart,Jim, thanks and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
prognosticating scammers. what’s not to believe. any chance it could rid us of the casino known as the stock market?