Chatbots are not the future
wattenberger.com
Chatbots are not the future
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Re: Chatbots are not the future
#2one thing I can say for certain: scroll handlers definitely aren't the future
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#3Yeah, chat isn’t a universally great interface. But it’s a great default because it’s totally free form.
It should be pretty easy (even with today’s APIs and technology) to have an LLM design a user interface for you for your current task.
Simplest way: output a JSON of simple control definitions with every answer.
Coolest way: Just have it generate a full-ass React front end or whatever on every message.
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#4A contextualized chatbot is still a chatbot. I think they’re going to stick around for a while… we’ve effectively been trying this out on the web since the AskJeevs days, and that dream is mostly realized now.
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#5> Good tools make it clear how they should be used.
This is such a weird statement from someone in the tech space. Programming languages rarely have an opinion for how they are to be used (for example JS MUST only run the browser or which code style to use).
When I chat with customer support, I wish they could meet me where I am instead of me needing to learn their tools. For example, I want to say "cancel my subscription" and my subscript get cancelled. I don't want to have to figure out which sub menu of the sub menu that has the magic "end subscription" button.
I know how to use my tool (english). LLMs teach computers how to use that tool too.
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#6Quality quote:
"There's an ongoing trend pushing towards continuous consumption of shorter, mind-melting content. Have a few minutes? Stare at people putting on makeup on TikTok. Winding down for sleep? A perfect time to doomscroll 180-character hot takes on Twitter."
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#7> Good tools make it clear how they should be used. This is such a weird statement from someone in the tech space. Programming languages rarely have an opinion for how they are to be used (for example JS MUST only run the browser or which code style to use). When I chat with customer support, I wish they could meet me where I am instead of me needing to learn their tools. For example, I want to say "cancel my subscri…
I think the problem in your example of cancelling the subscription is that service providers often make it difficult on purpose. I doubt they'll allow chatbots to make it any simpler.
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#8one thing I can say for certain: scroll handlers definitely aren't the future
I agree, but:
"Please don't complain about tangential annoyances—e.g. article or website formats, name collisions, or back-button breakage. They're too common to be interesting."
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#9> Good tools make it clear how they should be used. This is such a weird statement from someone in the tech space. Programming languages rarely have an opinion for how they are to be used (for example JS MUST only run the browser or which code style to use). When I chat with customer support, I wish they could meet me where I am instead of me needing to learn their tools. For example, I want to say "cancel my subscri…
I think the problem in your example of cancelling the subscription is that service providers often make it difficult on purpose. I doubt they'll allow chatbots to make it any simpler.
I get support emails for "how do I cancel my Apple App Store Subscription?" when Apple governs the cancellation process in a centralized and simple manner.
I also get support emails for password resets, which I try to make as simple as possible.
People don't want to learn new tools if their existing tools (language) work just fine.
Re: Chatbots are not the future
#10Someone said that using a chat-only interface is like using CLI tools. It's even worse, I would add, because there is no autocomplete or man command to help you out. Most of us here probably get it, but my dad had a hard time getting a good answer from GPT when he first tried it, even with GPT-4 model.