Just over two years ago, I wrote a post about ChatGPT and OpenAI, including some predictions. I’ve decided to follow up on that and take another critical look at AI. Since that time, I have still never used ChatGPT, and I have barely touched any form of AI.
Does that mean you shouldn’t? Not necessarily. While I still believe my prediction came true—that AI is making people lazier—you don’t have to be like them. Use it as a tool to facilitate your work, but don’t use it to do your work. For example, writing an email does not need to be outsourced. If you’re a developer, don’t buy into this “vibe coding” crap. You’ll learn more by doing it yourself. More on that later.
There are a couple of claims that I want to address. The claim that AI has “changed the world” and that if you’re not embracing it, then you’re being left behind.
“It Will Change the World”
Did it? Maybe it has changed the world, but not in the way that many think it has. I’ve heard first-hand accounts of the extra policies and hoops teachers have to go through to make sure students are not cheating by using AI. In fact, in a recent discussion, one teacher told me that some classrooms are going back to using blue books on exams and banning cell phones.
All across the country, school districts have to reallocate a portion of their budgets to invest in detection tools and screen-monitoring software to prevent cheating. All the while, people are screaming that teachers are underpaid. One high schooler from New York talks about how it’s ruining education.
I’ve had discussions with people in different industries, and they’ve talked about how AI is used to complete grunt work. The kind of work that is often given to junior-level employees or interns. These are the kinds of opportunities that can train new employees or interns to help them grow into productive employees. If AI is used instead, then who will take over when the senior-level employees retire or leave the company?
How is this progress?
Use It or Be Left Behind
“But if you don’t use AI, then you’ll be left behind.” I don’t think this is true. I’m a software engineer, and I’ve never used AI to write code. In fact, I refuse to let something else write code for me. I don’t feel left behind … at all.
I do think there is a time and a place to use AI. Perhaps, while doing research or taking a course, it could be useful to explain some confusing concept(s). As a developer, I’ve heard of AI that can validate the logic of a block of code and maybe even perform a code review. But I won’t use it to write code for me.
This trend of “vibe coding” is crap. I didn’t learn programming so I could sit around all day, peer-reviewing and repairing crappy code generated by a glorified IRC bot. That’s not what I want to do with my life. There are a couple of occurrences daily where I might be able to use an AI tool to facilitate my work (as stated above). I’ve chosen not to use them because there are too many cheerleaders waving their AI pom-poms in my face. I know that sounds petty, but I’m really tired of hearing about it. Every. Day.
The only way I will consider using AI is when people stop telling me I should be using AI. I will not be coerced or persuaded. It has to happen organically, or it won’t happen at all.
In the meantime, I will do my own work, which is what all of you AI cultists should be doing too.
/cheers
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