The Nonlinear Library: LessWrong LW - How unusual is the fact that there is no AI monopoly? by Viliam
Aug 17, 2024
01:17
Link to original article
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: How unusual is the fact that there is no AI monopoly?, published by Viliam on August 17, 2024 on LessWrong.
I may be completely confused about this, but my model of technological breakthroughs in history was basically this: A few guys independently connect the dots leading to a new invention, for example the telephone, approximately at the same time. One of them runs to the patent office a little faster than the others, and he gets the patent first.
Now he gets to be forever known as the inventor of the telephone, and the rest of them are screwed; if they ever try to sell their own inventions, they will probably get sued to bankruptcy.
Today, we have a few different companies selling AIs (LLMs). What is different this time?
Is my model of the history wrong?
Is the current legal situation with patents different?
Are LLMs somehow fundamentally different from all other previous inventions?
Is it the fact that anyone can immediately publish all tiny partial steps in online journals, that makes it virtually impossible for any individual or institution to legally acquire the credit -- and the monopoly -- for the entire invention?
Or something else...?
Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: How unusual is the fact that there is no AI monopoly?, published by Viliam on August 17, 2024 on LessWrong.
I may be completely confused about this, but my model of technological breakthroughs in history was basically this: A few guys independently connect the dots leading to a new invention, for example the telephone, approximately at the same time. One of them runs to the patent office a little faster than the others, and he gets the patent first.
Now he gets to be forever known as the inventor of the telephone, and the rest of them are screwed; if they ever try to sell their own inventions, they will probably get sued to bankruptcy.
Today, we have a few different companies selling AIs (LLMs). What is different this time?
Is my model of the history wrong?
Is the current legal situation with patents different?
Are LLMs somehow fundamentally different from all other previous inventions?
Is it the fact that anyone can immediately publish all tiny partial steps in online journals, that makes it virtually impossible for any individual or institution to legally acquire the credit -- and the monopoly -- for the entire invention?
Or something else...?
Thanks for listening. To help us out with The Nonlinear Library or to learn more, please visit nonlinear.org