Net effect: fewer clicks to source websites, fewer clicks on ads on said websites.
Good. The adtech industry needs to die in a fire.
Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
91–100 of 203 posts
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#92Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course I can, and do, avoid Google. That's an individual solution. I'm interested in a world that's as good as possible not only for me, but for the other people too. Most people around still use Google. They might find this new feature useful and start using it, and possibly suffer this bias. Not only they may get manipulated individually, but it can have broader consequences, even to those avoiding the feature.…
I share your frustration, but it's hard not to be pessimistic about this. Regular internet users will flock to these tools, just like they flock to social media, even though it's a clear detriment to our personal and collective well being. If the Snowden revelations did anything is to show that people ultimately don't care about being exploited, as long as they can continue to enjoy technology. Trading convenience fo…
> but it feels frustrating to be part of this industry
There are places in this industry that are not so bad. Of course it has drawbacks and require effort, but you can get paid for doing things that align (as best as possible) with your values.
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#93Hard pass. I don't want Google, or even a trustworthy neutral party, to decide my view of the world. (Compromised as it may be already.) We're all unique and unpredictable. In a given article, a random sentence or point considered throwaway by most people and algorithms could turn out to be meaningful to me. I've been trained not to even trust the basic facts they pull of out content like movie showtimes or whatever.…
Actually, we’re not unique and often predictable. There usually is someone who says “I’ll never use the product because…” And it’s often a top comment. e.g. Smartphones with GPS, Amazon Alexa,… To me it’s simply a noisy discussion with little value. Don’t use it but let’s not waste time debating it. No one’s mind is going to change. I’d love nothing more than for an algorithm to filter out the noise and extract any i…
I find it quite helpful to understand why people don't use a product or are unhappy with it. If there's none of that, all I'm left with is reading marketing claims.
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#94Ironically, articles got pointlessly long because of Google. Everyone stretches their content because long form ranks better. A few hours ago I wanted to know the difference between a typhoon and a hurricane. Here is the answer: they're the same thing, just in a different ocean. I clicked three or four articles and had to read for a few minutes to get to that answer. It's even worse with videos. It takes 10 minutes t…
> A few hours ago I wanted to know the difference between a typhoon and a hurricane. Here is the answer: they're the same thing, just in a different ocean. I clicked three or four articles and had to read for a few minutes to get to that answer. I just googled “what is the difference between typhoon and hurricane” Top result is from the Red Cross, with this blurb conveniently extracted so I don’t even need to click i…
With this Search Lab enabled Google just gives you the answer above all the results.
""" The only difference between a hurricane and a typhoon is the location where the storm occurs. If a storm is above the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, or eastern North Pacific oceans, it's called a hurricane. If it hovers over the Northwest Pacific Ocean (usually East Asia), it's called a typhoon. """
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
> results eventually STOP showing videos matching my criteria How long is that typical list? How often do you pick the things at the bottom of that list vs the results near the top?
I pick things from the bottom of the list a lot. I really hate when engineers try to guess what I want. I already know what I want. These “automatic” products are terrible.
What do you think is a good list length? One can assume search results are practically infinite, so you have to make a decision of where to stop. What would your heuristic / algorithm be for determining the termination point?
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#96LLM's already summarize articles for you. This approach to me combines the downsides of individual articles and the downsides of LLMs. I guess Google likes it since you presumably might be finding these articles through Google search.
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#97Ironically, articles got pointlessly long because of Google. Everyone stretches their content because long form ranks better. A few hours ago I wanted to know the difference between a typhoon and a hurricane. Here is the answer: they're the same thing, just in a different ocean. I clicked three or four articles and had to read for a few minutes to get to that answer. It's even worse with videos. It takes 10 minutes t…
That's actually not the main reason at all. It's so more ads can be inserted.
The classic example is mega-long intros for recipes. But if you look into it, the primary reason is to be able to include 10 ads on a page instead of 2.
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
When I try to search up a topic on YouTube, the list of search results eventually STOP showing videos matching my criteria and instead show 10 videos in a row labeled "People also watched" that is unrelated to my search. It's one thing to get recommendations in a place where recommendations are appropriate, and the dangers of the feedback loop you are talking about. It's another thing entirely to actively push it in…
What you're describing is a common UX dark pattern. The system must never show blank space in the UI for a search result, lest it drive them into the arms of a competitor. We can thank Netflix for starting the trend of "we don't have this, but how about this other thing that we do have?"
I'm not sure that fully explains it here. I see more relevant search results below the "People also watched" section (just checked now). Further down, there is also "For you" and "Previously watched" which have videos of no discernible relevance to the query and these are also followed by again more relevant search results.
Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#99At the risk of sounding like an old man — heck, I guess I am — is this innovation ethical for humanity's future? A one-click "tl;dr" button for the web? There are studies saying overall human attention span is shrinking. Anecdotally, I know people in their 20s who use TikTok daily, and they're no longer able to watch a movie without losing focus. Squeezing all aspects of our digital life, including learning new skill…
> Anecdotally, I know people in their 20s who use TikTok daily, and they're no longer able to watch a movie without losing focus. I'm almost 40 and haven't been able to do this since the smartphone arrived; it's not Tiktok, it's just that the phone is right there, and movies are slow-paced (arty thrillers) or monotonous (lengthy CGI fight scenes).
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Re: Learn as you search (and browse) using generative AI
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
Actually, we’re not unique and often predictable. There usually is someone who says “I’ll never use the product because…” And it’s often a top comment. e.g. Smartphones with GPS, Amazon Alexa,… To me it’s simply a noisy discussion with little value. Don’t use it but let’s not waste time debating it. No one’s mind is going to change. I’d love nothing more than for an algorithm to filter out the noise and extract any i…
I find it quite helpful to understand why people don't use a product or are unhappy with it. If there's none of that, all I'm left with is reading marketing claims.
Good, then you should set your filter appropriately.
Depending on the effectiveness of the product, you may trust it for certain articles but not others. Certain sources but not others.