Tasks can be categorized into opportunistic tasks, where generating multiple possibilities is preferred even if some are incorrect, versus prescriptive tasks, where accuracy and precision are crucial. In the context of generative AI, focusing on generating possibilities is more efficient than striving for perfect accuracy. This differentiation is crucial in various fields such as creative design, politics, and education, to determine when to opt for opportunistic solutions and when to demand well-defined prescriptive solutions.
Jon Ippolito on a more critical framework for AI use (amongst other topics) on episode 524 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
We need to either rethink what intelligence means, beyond the scope of simply being articulate and knowledgeable when it comes to to putting words together, or we need to think about what other values we want to promote and encourage and teach that go beyond intelligence.
-Jon Ippolito
It’s a problem because the average of 2 facts is not necessarily a fact.
-Jon Ippolito