Tech Won't Save Us Why We Must Resist AI w/ Dan McQuillan
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Mar 9, 2023 
Dan McQuillan explores how AI can reinforce austerity, privatization, and far-right politics, from welfare algorithms to generative chatbots. The conversation also examines how these systems work, the human labor behind them, and how communities might imagine alternatives beyond technology companies’ promises.
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AI Realism and Toxicity
- Dan McQuillan expresses concern over academics accepting AI's inevitability and overlooking its toxicity.
- He emphasizes the need to resist AI's influence on everyday life.
The Danger of "Responsible" AI Management
- McQuillan criticizes the "realistic" approach to AI as more dangerous than boosterism.
- He argues that these seemingly responsible intellectuals are making decisions about AI's management for the rest of us.
How LLMs Work
- Large language models (LLMs) are essentially text prediction machines.
- They manipulate statistical optimizations to fill in blanks, creating plausible but meaningless text.