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Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

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Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#271

Post by rurp »

palmotea wrote: post #172
OptionOfT wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing is, for us normal consumers AI only has downsides. AI blogspam is made to serve you ads and make you buy stuff. AI posts / comments on Reddit are made to make you buy stuff. AI videos are made to keep you engaged, and then serve you ads which at the end make you buy stuff. Soon ChatGPT will start to weave ads into their output because they'll need to make $.

> Soon ChatGPT will start to weave ads into their output because they'll need to make $. AI enthusiasts need to anticipate that. We're in the VC subsidy phase, but the hammer will drop sooner or later. If you think ads are bad on Google and Facebook now, just imagine a Google that has to spend 100x more on compute to service your requests.

Yes exactly. In a decade or two people will wistfully look back on 2025 era GenAI similar to how people currently remember when Google Search was great 10+ years ago. The AI enshittification will probably be even more dramatic though, in part because of the immense cost. Despite getting more abusive every year, Google ads are at least still identifiable if you know to look for them. Once AI training weights start getting heavily manipulated for corporate and political reasons things could get pretty ugly.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#272

Post by parliament32 »

aleph_minus_one wrote: post #115

But why integrate AI so deeply into Windows instead of 1. keeping Windows as small and lean as possible, and let it do the things an operating system is for, 2. offering some AI applications that can be installed optionally by the users who want them, i.e. turn their AI applications into external software that can be installed/used or not, like Microsoft Office.

Because these goals are inherently at odds with for-profit software development. If you're a business who produces software, you must not only 1) charge money, but also 2) plan to charge more money.

Windows usage is broad enough that the "new users" revenue stream is pretty dry, but it's also hard to say "we increased the price to $X while making windows smaller".. so they will endlessly pump in new "features" and bloat.

I recommend using an operating system that isn't driven by a thirst for revenue.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#273

Post by satvikpendem »

rincebrain wrote: post #211
satvikpendem wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet Diablo Immortal made about a billion dollars, orders of magnitude more than the other Diablo games combined. Sound like they knew exactly what their customers wanted. https://mobilegamer.biz/three-years-after-a-fiery-launch-dia...

The nuance there, I think, is that over half the players are reportedly new to the Diablo games, which suggests that their primary intended market was likely not existing Diablo players. The core kernel of it always seemed, to me, to be an extension of the Diablo 3 RMT auction house idea - they wanted a recurring revenue source from a franchise where traditionally they were not charging one, and in this case, they sq…

Yes, however that remains the same for Windows, in that they know (or at least, they surmise) that they can make more money with AI features than without, a hypothesis that remains yet to be tested, but it doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#274

Post by LexiMax »

_DeadFred_ wrote: post #268
LexiMax wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Given the demographic this site selects for, it’s easy to forget how many dumb people there are in the world. Let's not go there. I could see an argument that Hacker News users are a bit more book smart than the average internet user. But this site's user base is just as susceptible to motivated reasoning, myopia, and lack of empathy for those who view the world differently than them. Those are all their own kind o…

Once someone decides their intelligence guarantees their correctness, they stop questioning themselves. There was conversation here about Israel starving Gaza, and they Israel needed to provide for Gaza like the USA did for Germany, that that was acceptable/gold standard treatment of an occupied populace. When I looked up the numbers, and Israel was actually during starvation providing more calories per person than t…

To someone who used to run a community, it is absolutely insane to me that on HN, users are given the tools to collectively censor people they disagree with, or even those who bring up inconvenient questions or truths.

HN moderators have the ability to take away people's voting privileges. It's either not an effective deterrent, not done at a large enough scale to be effective, or they are knowingly complicit in the manipulation.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#275

Post by rincebrain »

satvikpendem wrote: post #273
rincebrain wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The nuance there, I think, is that over half the players are reportedly new to the Diablo games, which suggests that their primary intended market was likely not existing Diablo players. The core kernel of it always seemed, to me, to be an extension of the Diablo 3 RMT auction house idea - they wanted a recurring revenue source from a franchise where traditionally they were not charging one, and in this case, they sq…

Yes, however that remains the same for Windows, in that they know (or at least, they surmise) that they can make more money with AI features than without, a hypothesis that remains yet to be tested, but it doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing.

I do still strongly suspect Microsoft's endgame is to get people off Windows in the consumer space, and that most of what's going on right now with 11 is froth as they add features they think will make them money in the near term even as it drives people off or be useful in the non-consumer space, not because they sincerely think this is something people will find a net gain in the consumer space.

So yes, I agree it's likely not primarily ignorance driving this.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#276

Post by 1vuio0pswjnm7 »

1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #67
hifix wrote: post #5

> The fact that people are unimpressed that we can have a fluent conversation with a super smart AI that can generate any image/video is mindblowing to me. It's not that people are unimpressed with AI - they're just tired of constantly being bombarded with it, and it sneaking its way into where it's not wanted. "Generate any image you want!" "Analyse this thing with AI!" gets pretty tiring. If I want AI I'll actively…

"If I want AI I'll actively seek it out and use it - otherwise, jog on." If I want MS Windows I'll actively seek it out and use it - otherwise, jog on If this is not a statement you can make, then Redmond gets to decide what you use, not you

Usually complaints about changes to Microsoft software come from people who are using the software

It's possible that Linux or MacOS users might complain about new "AI features" in MS Windows, but more likely it is MS Windows users who are complaining

If it's possible for a computer user to switch between OS, then there is less reason to complain. Those users can make the statement, "If I want to use MS Windows, I will actively seek it out and use it, otherwise [I will not]"

For example,

"I do not like this Microsoft "AI feature" so I'll use MacOS instead" (possible for user to switch OS)

versus

"I do not like this Microsoft "AI feature" so I'll complain to Microsoft via online comment forums" (stuck using WIndows OS, no choice)

If you cannot make the statement "If I want MS Windows, then I'll use it, otherwise I will use something else" then Redmond, not you, makes the decisions on what you will use, including "AI features" you may not like

Because if you use Windows, chances are you have "auutomatic updates" enabled

This allows Redmond to install new software on your computer whenever they like, e.g., "updates"

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#277

Post by tessellated »

collingreen wrote: post #267
tessellated wrote: post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fascinating! The last sentence could also talk about the famous book.

You're saying 1984 is completely formulaic brainrot?

No not that scene, I just failed at the joke. The commercial music scene was formulaic in the 80's and earlier already. Popular culture porn.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#279

Post by Rattays »

'The fact that people are unimpressed that we can have a fluent conversation with a super smart AI that can generate any image/video is mindblowing to me.'

To dedicated tech professionals or power and possibly even just enthusiasts, I'd agree.

What kind of bubble in their personal life must exist to NOT realise that being accidentally told a brief description of the image the user was looking at and knew full well was in front of them because they slip clicked on the wrong part of the windows UI, is not a selling point but an act of gross irritation.. Most people don't care unless it has a practical use beyond getting in the way of their work.

Mind blowing indeed. Please.. don't be like that person.. expand your social circle outside of work.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#280

Post by stalfosknight »

1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #131
1vuio0pswjnm7 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If I want AI I'll actively seek it out and use it - otherwise, jog on." If I want MS Windows I'll actively seek it out and use it - otherwise, jog on If this is not a statement you can make, then Redmond gets to decide what you use, not you

If you cannot choose another OS besides Windows, then you are stuck with whatever Redmond decides

You can choose another operating system. No one is forcing you to reward Microsoft for their bullshit.
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