OpenAI stopped letting ChatGPT generate text that humans would perceive as legal or medical advice. I may eat my words but I strongly feel like this single decision will be looked back at the moment the "AI" hype collapsed. The hype is over. Now comes the time of collapse and downfall. The price will - as in 2008/2009 - be paid by the collective. And the same grifters that cheered for "AI" will be back soon with new speculative FOMO tech.

It has been a while since I felt as torn about a book as I do with "The AI Con" (2025) by @Prof. Emily M. Bender(she/her) and @Alex Hanna. Both are well respected experts, not only regarding their expertise but also regarding their personal conviction. Their book was much anticipated and became a reference as a critical and sober perspective on the hype around so-called "AI". After reading it, I'd like to share a few thoughts. #Thread

„Computers can make judicial decisions, computers can make psychiatric judgments. They can flip coins in much more sophisticated ways than can the most patient human being. The point is that they ought not be given such tasks. They may even be able to arrive at “correct” decisions in some cases—but always and necessarily on bases no human being should be willing to accept.“ - Joseph Weizenbaum, Computer Power and Human Reason (1976)

What I found to be helpful for understanding the limits of certain progressive campaigns against "market power" and "Big Tech dominance" is this: Replace the word "market power" with "power of the lords". Do we want fair competition between lords? Do we want smaller kingdoms? Are we fighting for more transparent aristocracy?

I am currently reading "The AI Con" by @Prof. Emily M. Bender(she/her) and @Alex Hanna and - while not being quite done yet - want to express joy about the book not beating around the bush. As a (former) member of the judiciary I was explicitly delighted to read this quote: "The tools do little to address the punitive, carceral, and racist foundation of the criminal justice system. We can't automate our way to a fair criminal justice system."