This is a good read even if you’re not a fan of doctorow yet.
Like another commenter said, his thoughts about centaurs and reverse centaurs are cool (basically whether you use technology or technology uses you).
Also his thoughts about copyright and if it would be good to reinforce it are interesting - he says that artists won’t be paid well if their art can’t be stolen for AI training, their contracts will be adjusted and that’s it. He says what gives bargaining power is the fact that the output of LLMs can’t be copyrighted, which means that human artists have to be in the loop of making tomorrows media.
the fact that the output of LLMs can’t be copyrighted
That may be the status quo right now, but I expect tech and media companies will fight tooth and nail to gain copyright protections over the slop they generate. A few bribes donations to the right politicians and you can get legislation that grants whatever rights you want.
AI bros do venerate science-fiction writers an unhealthy amount. Fictional fearmongering like “AI2027” is taken as fact, an actual AI doomsday cult leader has no credentials except publishing fantasy fiction, people like Neal Stephenson are treated almost as prophets etc… So if that’s the bit of the article you take issue with, I don’t think it’s a problem
This is a good read even if you’re not a fan of doctorow yet.
Like another commenter said, his thoughts about centaurs and reverse centaurs are cool (basically whether you use technology or technology uses you).
Also his thoughts about copyright and if it would be good to reinforce it are interesting - he says that artists won’t be paid well if their art can’t be stolen for AI training, their contracts will be adjusted and that’s it. He says what gives bargaining power is the fact that the output of LLMs can’t be copyrighted, which means that human artists have to be in the loop of making tomorrows media.
That may be the status quo right now, but I expect tech and media companies will fight tooth and nail to gain copyright protections over the slop they generate. A few
bribesdonations to the right politicians and you can get legislation that grants whatever rights you want.Assuming it actually becomes valuable/profitable at some point.
I agree with him in general about AI but hot goddamn the man gives serious self-described philosopher/cult leader/grifter vibes out the wazoo.
How’s that?
AI bros do venerate science-fiction writers an unhealthy amount. Fictional fearmongering like “AI2027” is taken as fact, an actual AI doomsday cult leader has no credentials except publishing fantasy fiction, people like Neal Stephenson are treated almost as prophets etc… So if that’s the bit of the article you take issue with, I don’t think it’s a problem
I agree somewhat, but I think it’s just that he’s US-american, they can be like that
Doctorow is Candian-British.