Generative AI is not the panacea we’ve been promised | Eric Siegel for Big Think+

There's an illusion around generative AI. 🤖 Headlines promise it’ll revolutionize everything, solve business problems, and displace workers. But that’s hype.

Generative AI is *impressive*, yes — capable of first drafts, conversations, and mimicking human language. But it isn’t magic. It's not autonomous. You still need to proofread, verify, and correct it. ✍️

Meanwhile, **predictive AI** — the older cousin — quietly delivers real, measurable value. It improves operations by making **data-driven predictions** that inform decisions:

- Who to market to 🛒

- Which transaction is likely fraud 💳

- Which train wheel or building might fail 🚂🔥

- Which patient might be readmitted 🏥

These predictions help prioritize and triage at scale — fast, autonomously, and effectively.

Timestamps:

0:00 - The Generative AI illusion

1:05 - Generative AI’s function

3:13 - Generative vs. Predictive

4:21 - The Predictive AI process

6:57 - Moving towards AGI?

I’m Eric Siegel — CEO of Goodr AI and author of *The AI Playbook*. I’ve watched AI hype evolve since the '80s, and I believe **value lies in action**. Predictive AI is the real engine behind enterprise optimization.

Take UPS, for example. 📦 They use predictive AI to forecast tomorrow’s deliveries — even before all packages arrive — allowing for optimized routes and loading. The result? $350M saved yearly, and major emissions cuts. ♻️

It’s not about perfection. It’s about probability, scale, and deployment.

Generative AI is amazing to watch — but if you're chasing **Artificial General Intelligence** (AGI), you're buying into a sci-fi dream. The real power of AI today? Concrete, credible, enterprise use cases. 🚀

Forget the hype. Focus on **what improves operations now** — and deploy it.

About Eric Siegel:

Eric Siegel is a leading consultant and former Columbia University and UVA Darden professor. He is the founder of the long-running Machine Learning Week conference series, a frequent keynote speaker, and author of "The AI Playbook: Mastering the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment," as well as the bestselling "Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die."

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