The METR report continues to hold up. I would add "No Silver Bullet" to the reading list.
Careful who you share this information with- better to roll with the kool-aid drinkers when they're holding the cards.
I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
71–80 of 490 posts
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#72[flagged]
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#73[flagged]
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#74I think when LLMs first came out people thought they could just say something like, "Make a Facebook clone". But now we're realizing we need to be more exact with our requirements and define things better. That has always been the bottle neck in software. When I was working we used to get requirements that literally said things like, "Get data and give it to the user". No definition of what data is, where its stored,…
What's even worse is that when dealing with human software teams, a vague requirement will (at least in a well-run org) receive demands for further specification. "What do you mean by 'get data'?", etc. An LLM will just say, "Sure! Here's the fully implemented code that gets the data and give it to the user. " and be done with it.
ChatGPT 5.5 responds:
> What data should I retrieve, and where should I get it from? Please specify at least: ...
And it then goes on to ask just exactly what is necessary, being all constructive about it.
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#75I think when LLMs first came out people thought they could just say something like, "Make a Facebook clone". But now we're realizing we need to be more exact with our requirements and define things better. That has always been the bottle neck in software. When I was working we used to get requirements that literally said things like, "Get data and give it to the user". No definition of what data is, where its stored,…
Cue that commitstrip comic from 2016.
https://web.archive.org/web/20161211074810/http://www.commit...
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
> how many problems that you work on have many existing free solutions but you neglected to use that code and decided to spend days doing it yourself? Only when the existing free solutions are licensed with something like GPL. Now I can just say, write me a C webserver library similar to mongoose and I get the functionality without the license burden.
Indeed, no license burden but you get a maintenance burden instead.
Well I'd get that either way if I write it myself.
Also I was joking, I'd never do that; feels gross. But I suppose it is a legitimate "productive" use of AI.
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#77[dead]
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#78[flagged]
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
What's even worse is that when dealing with human software teams, a vague requirement will (at least in a well-run org) receive demands for further specification. "What do you mean by 'get data'?", etc. An LLM will just say, "Sure! Here's the fully implemented code that gets the data and give it to the user. " and be done with it.
ChatGPT 5.5 responds: > What data should I retrieve, and where should I get it from? Please specify at least: ... And it then goes on to ask just exactly what is necessary, being all constructive about it.
You're both right. The parent was a toy example, and if asked literally to an LLM, it will definitely ask for more information. Yes, it's important to be accurate but I don't think that applies here.
But the point still stands: in most contexts, the LLM will fill in the blanks with what it deems appropriate like an overconfident intern at best and a bull in a China shop at worst.
Re: I don't think AI will make your processes go faster
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's interesting how predictable some of this is. The LLMs turn out fully formed clones of stuff for which there exists copious amounts of code openly searchable on the web doing the exact same thing. LLMs require developer-like specification, task/subtask breakdown and detail where such example code already exists. As a professional prior to LLMs, how many problems that you work on have many existing free solutions…
> how many problems that you work on have many existing free solutions but you neglected to use that code and decided to spend days doing it yourself? Only when the existing free solutions are licensed with something like GPL. Now I can just say, write me a C webserver library similar to mongoose and I get the functionality without the license burden.
You might as well have ignored or removed the GPL notice. Running it through the LLM laundering gets you a "fork" of unknown origin, questionable quality. You're still potentially open to supply chain issues but the chain is obfuscated.
And you now own full responsibility for maintenance.