I assure you, an AI didn’t write a terrible “George Carlin” routine

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the phenomenon of AI hype and how it can be perpetuated by both proponents and critics of AI technology. It examines several examples, such as the George Carlin comedy special created by an AI, the Theranos scandal, and the "self-driving" cars operated by remote human drivers. The article argues that AI hype often involves hiding human labor behind the veneer of automation, a pattern that has repeated throughout history.

🙋 Q&A

[01] AI Hype and Perpetuation

1. What are the different motivations for AI hype, according to the article?

• To convince normies to invest in AI by making them believe it can perform miracles
• To integrate AI into products and then quietly hire humans to pick up the "botshit" it leaves behind
• To simplify otherwise tedious and complex situations, such as the fiction that "self-driving" cars have no human driver

2. How do both AI proponents and critics contribute to the perpetuation of AI hype?

• AI proponents spread implausible stories of AI's triumph to drive investment and adoption.
• AI critics repeat these stories, which can make it seem like the AI really can do the job, leading to the "AI jobpocalypse" narrative.

3. What is the concept of "criti-hype" and why does it persist, according to the article?

• "Criti-hype" is the phenomenon of AI critics repeating and amplifying the hype around AI's capabilities.
• It persists for several reasons, including the fact that it constitutes an "academic business-model" and simplifies otherwise complex situations.

[02] Hidden Human Labor in Automation

1. What are some historical examples of hidden human labor behind the veneer of automation?

• The "mechanical Turk" hoax, where a chess-playing robot was actually operated by a concealed human
• Thomas Jefferson's use of dumbwaiters to "replace" his slaves, when in reality the dumbwaiters just hid the slaves
• The modern Amazon Mechanical Turk, which employs low-wage "clickworkers" behind a cloud of "Human Intelligence Tasks"

2. How does the concept of "Potemkin AI" relate to the hiding of human labor in automation?

• "Potemkin AI" refers to the practice of creating the illusion of fully automated systems, when in reality there are hidden human operators performing the tasks.
• Examples include Tesla's Optimus robot and the "full self-driving" Tesla demos, which turned out to be staged with human involvement.

3. Why does the article suggest that we keep falling for the illusion of fully automated systems?

• Criti-hype rewards many different people in different ways, so it offers something for everyone, making it a persistent phenomenon.
• The article argues that the pattern of hiding human labor behind automation has repeated throughout history, making it a difficult illusion to see through.