Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course the savvy are using LLMs now, but they’re also reckoning with two things: * you have to check an LLM result, especially if it cites something (because it may or may not exist) * you can’t cite an LLM result It’s a useful tool, but it lacks certain utility features that a useful web + effective search has. Or had.
> Of course the savvy are using LLMs now I don't think this is true at all. It is people prone to hype, or who are naive, who are using LLMs. The savvy know that a tool which you have to verify every single time (because it isn't deterministic and makes shit up) isn't actually saving you any effort.
I am less convinced this means it’s always a wash (or worse). Sometimes it’s good to have something to start with. “You can’t edit a blank page” is a truism among fiction and non-fiction writers of all stripes for a reason. Of course, the quality of what you start with matters, and it matters more the less of an evaluatory mindset you come to your tools with. I know at least some earlier adopters have that mindset, but perhaps I’m too optimistic about how it generalizes.