oramirite t1_j9ykefe wrote on February 25, 2023 at 2:48 PM

Reply to comment by AllanfromWales1 in The Job Market Apocalypse: We Must Democratize AI Now! by Otarih

This automatic assumption of "better" is both hilariously naieve and terribly scary to me.

AllanfromWales1 t1_j9ymun8 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 3:07 PM

For many jobs 'better' translates as 'more cost-effectively'. But not for all.

oramirite t1_j9yrncw wrote on February 25, 2023 at 3:42 PM

What a cynical view. Cost-effectively making your service, product or content worse isn't better. "Better" is supposed to represent more than just monetary gain. Quality of life, effect on society.... hello? Just because investors treat the world like a game and think the only thing that makes something "better" is a higher number on a piece of paper does not make that reality.

When we chase nothing but profitability we forget that we are humans with lives.

VitriolicViolet t1_ja0lr3a wrote on February 25, 2023 at 11:12 PM

>When we chase nothing but profitability we forget that we are humans with lives.

already have.

look at any discussion on helping people, first thing that comes up is 'who will pay?'

oramirite t1_ja11ecw wrote on February 26, 2023 at 1:12 AM

crickets

Thank you, token nihilist in the back. Anyone have anything of value to contribute?

AllanfromWales1 t1_j9yvqsi wrote on February 25, 2023 at 4:10 PM

And yet, we live in a capitalist society. Like it or not (and I don't), profit decides what scientific developments get implemented. The only way around is that the government incentivises 'progress'. But the government isn't going to incentivise something which causes mass redundancies. At least, not until AIs get the vote.

oramirite t1_j9zbvhp wrote on February 25, 2023 at 5:57 PM

"Better" marks a level of quality, what you are talking about is profitability. Capitalism being a cancer on society doesn't absolve you of the responsibility to use language correctly. If you don't like it you cloud at least take some effort to play along with it's mistruths less.

Like, we are literally talking about inferior products, services, knowledge... everything. Of course if you're LYING about these things being of equal value to previous options, that's going to be more profitable if nobody is calling it out.

But the results are inferior and not better. Its really important that we don't give a shit about these profitability metrics that the system you and I dislike put in front of us. It's one thing to be realistic about the system we live in. It's another thing entirely to take no action against it as if it's inevitable and that resistance is futile.