Live data from Hacker News

The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

newrepublic.com

231–240 of 399 posts

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#231
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"When our grandparents built the hoover dam, the lincoln tunnel and the triborough bridge with a job guarantee that was just money for nothing - UBI with extra steps." ^ this would be an accurate representation of your opinion then?

That job guarantees exceptionally produce useful things doesn't mean that they don't overwhelmingly produce useless things, or things that are more expensive than they're worth.

> doesn't mean that they don't overwhelmingly produce useless things, or things that are more expensive than they're worth

One could say the same thing about all the little art projects a hypothetical society on UBI might busy itself making. The pertinent difference seems to be one about scale and co-ordination. Job guarantees say we work together–through a centralised power–to build big things. Handing everyone cash leans more towards arts and crafts and consumption.

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#232

I feel like their are (at least) three main critiques of AI, and I wish we could debate them separately, because I think they each have different resolutions. The first is the fear of job loss, and I feel like this is the most straightforward to deal with. Personally, I think the solution should be to share the productivity of AI with society at large, in particular since AI owes most of its abilities to training on…

Needing less offices, less people driving to those offices, less A/C and heating for those offices and less resources building those offices could offset the energy usage of AI.

We can just turn all the office buildings into datacenters, they already look like heating vents! cover them in solar panels on the outside to cover the windows, and done!

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#233
post #85

Some perspective ... I really do not see 'the public hating AI' outside of a very specific demographic (17-30 year old artsy types, generally left-leaning). Average everyday people in my area either don't care about AI at all, or like it, using it as a better search engine. The situation might be different in the States, but I'd wager Joe Sixpack, brass fisher in Montana, couldn't care less about GPT-5.5 or whatever…

> I'd wager Joe Sixpack, brass fisher in Montana I don’t think Montana fishermen have a broad impact on society, or its decision making. There’s just not that many of them.

On the contrary I would bet people who enjoy fly-fishing in Montana are over represented in Congress.

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#234

I feel like their are (at least) three main critiques of AI, and I wish we could debate them separately, because I think they each have different resolutions. The first is the fear of job loss, and I feel like this is the most straightforward to deal with. Personally, I think the solution should be to share the productivity of AI with society at large, in particular since AI owes most of its abilities to training on…

No, you're backwards. The first point is definitely the most important and most tricky. UBI is a dangerous distraction in this context. It's a mammoth cost to achieve an impoverished quality of life. It may be worth implementing in general, but it absolutely must stay out of the conversation about AI. It's like if the ruling class started announcing that they would like to imprison us all, and your "discussion" about…

What sort of regulation do you think is needed for this?

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#235

I find it interesting how public opinion on AI is diametrically opposed in China to that in the west https://www.semafor.com/article/02/11/2026/trust-in-tech-com...

Westerners tend to get fulfillment from "doing things" and the feeling of individualism, self-control, and self-determination. Sometimes we use the term "control freak". Some other societies tend to be much happier with automation, without worrying so much about the less fine-grained control, how trustworthy it is, the quality of results, etc.

This is hugely generalized and a little offensive, but there is definitely a core difference that could be more thoroughly described.

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#237
post #59
post #50

All people see is job losses and increased costs based upon articles and tweet type things. If due to AI or not, that is what they are seeing. It is like MAGA news, all they see "AI eliminates jobs and AI increases your electric bill". Nothing at this point will make people believe AI is good for the masses. What will need to happen for people to like AI ? I say they will get real $ month after month to cover more th…

Since the 1970’s, actually.

More of 1694, to be honest.

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#238
post #11

Downsides of AI: Massive increase in RAM prices, housing crisis worsens as datacenters are build, massive energy usage, children are having trouble learning at school, spreading misinformation is easier than ever. Upsides of AI: I can ask it if my farts are caused by the celery I ate earlier

Sometimes it even gets the answer right, too.

You are absolutely right!

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That job guarantees exceptionally produce useful things doesn't mean that they don't overwhelmingly produce useless things, or things that are more expensive than they're worth.

> doesn't mean that they don't overwhelmingly produce useless things, or things that are more expensive than they're worth One could say the same thing about all the little art projects a hypothetical society on UBI might busy itself making. The pertinent difference seems to be one about scale and co-ordination. Job guarantees say we work together–through a centralised power–to build big things. Handing everyone cash…

>Job guarantees say we work together–through a centralised power–to build big things. Handing everyone cash leans more towards arts and crafts and consumption.

Creating busywork doesn't strike me as a particularly worthwhile endeavor, compared to idleness.

Re: The AI industry is discovering that the public hates it

#240
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

“Let them eat cake,” or whatever. Telling a bunch of people they should accept being poorer has always worked out historically.

I've only been slightly joking about starting a company that sells rope and guillotines.
Post reply on HN