Issue 18: Focus on AI Hype
'...we don’t mean that deep learning systems can’t do things that appear intelligent, but ... “You can’t get to the moon by climbing successively taller trees.”' —Marcus and Davis, "Rebooting AI"
All of a sudden, it seems, the AI bubble has started to burst. This graphic from a Cory Doctorow essay we link to below shows that this is part of a natural hype cycle:
The Peak of Inflated Expectations seems to have been crested and we are now sharply on the downslope. However, it’s not just that the possibilities for current AI might have been blown a bit out of proportion, it’s more that Artificial Intelligence may well not actually exist. What we call ‘AI’ is a very efficient sorting machine, extremely capable at putting things into categories. It has been trained on (meaning taught to recognise things and their categories), basically, the entire internet, often without the permission of the creators (that’s us folks). Then the machines re-order it, and sell it back to us.
But… AGI is just round the corner, some people cry! ‘Artificial General Intelligence’, meaning that these systems have mysteriously become intelligent/conscious in the same way as a human being. Now look closely at those people, even the ones who are also warning about the ‘dangers’ of imminent AGI. Will some of them stand to benefit from the idea that this is not just a useful tool but the start of a novel form of intelligence evolving on this planet? Will the price of their stock options go up, in other words? And will the regulations they’re crying out for prevent new players coming into the market, thus cementing their position at the top forever?
(Side note - we’re aware that so-called AI can be intelligent without being conscious, but it suits the proponents of ‘AGI Soon!’ to blur those two categories.)
As you will see from some of the videos posted below, a part of what is claimed to be ‘AI’ is actually gig workers in India - particularly Amazon’s ‘Just Walk Out’ tech, which in fact is only - at the most - 30% done by computer.
This quote from Theory Underground explains the reality of the situation with clarity:
“Everyone … is tuning in to the fact that capitalist AI is not “progress,” but simply a new way to make one person do the work of several hundred others who are forced into even more precarious forms of work. The fact that this is lost on so many “critics'' today shows a stunning separation between them and the concerns of most working people. The solution is not to be anti AI or automation, but to put the possibility of harnessing these powers towards collective development, by phasing out the least dignified forms of labor, abolish bullshit jobs, and redistribute the rest of the work that remains so that we can move into a post-job-centric society where our timenergy can be put towards discovering and cultivating talents under the mentorship of others in institutions that do not serve profit, but which prioritize our human potential as an end in itself.”
Not only that, but the supposed flagship of not-for-profit AI safety research, OpenAI, is apparently abandoning its principles as quickly as it (in)humanly can, disbanding the ‘superalignment’ team charged with doing long term research into the possible dangers posed by AI. So either they don’t care, or - whisper it - they know that AGI is not actually around the corner.
We are not saying that what is known as AI is not a very useful tool (in fact we’ve used it extensively here at The Elevator for various things as you will probably have realized - this was not written by ChatGPT though, promise!). But we feel that the hype has now been exposed for what it is and hope for a more realistic alignment of this very powerful technology toward the goal of human thriving.
Welcome to new subscribers! We just broke 1000 in total on Substack and LinkedIn combined. Please tell your friends, recommend us on your own Substack, check out our YouTube channel, follow us on Insta, Masto and Twitter (not calling it X). Thanks!!
Table of Contents
Events
Links
Superpowers may be real and science needs to study them - Essentia Foundation
Microdosing Psychedelics Could Help People With ADHD
Unlocking Consciousness Agility - by Alexander Beiner
Discovered: A 'brain-body circuit' that turns inflammation up and down - Big Think
Quantum Effects in Microtubules and Consciousness - Sabine Hossenfelder
A Cubic Millimeter of a Human Brain Has Been Mapped in Spectacular Detail - Scientific American
Psychedelics open a new window on the mechanisms of perception - Knowable Magazine
Into and out of the meta-crisis: Interview with Daniel Thorson
How does ChatGPT ‘think’? Psychology and neuroscience crack open AI large language models
Focus on AI Hype
Has Generative AI Already Peaked? - Computerphile
Artificial Creativity by Douglas Rushkoff
The AI hype bubble is the new crypto hype bubble by Cory Doctorow
Apple’s New Ad Showing Machines Crushing Human Creativity Is a Bit on the Nose
Nuggets From The Archive
What are the symptoms of dementia and how do you get a diagnosis?
Debunking the #1 myth about enlightenment | Robert Waldinger
Actually, neuroscience suggests "the self" is real - Big Think
FULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History)
Events
Somewhere '24 [Portuguese Burn]
Thu 30th May 2024, 4pm – Wed 5th Jun 2024, 4pm WEST (UTC +01:00)
Deão, Portugal
An event following the Burning Man principles at a site in the north of Portugal with an established forest garden and private lake. 45 minutes north of Porto Airport, or 3.5 hours from Lisbon. The nearest stations are Viana do Castelo (bus) / Darque (train).
Psychedelics for Climate Action (PSYCA) Launch Tickets, Tue, May 28, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite
Tuesday, May 28 · 7 - 10pm EDT
222 East 46th Street New York, NY 10017
“Join us for an immersive, consciousness-raising experience for a new future. The event starts with a discussion with the hosts, followed by a meditative climate journey for action and reimagination. The night will culminate in a lively Earth Party celebration.”
The Festival of Consciousness
July 12th-13th-14th 2024, Barcelona, Spain
Large volunteer-organized in-person conference featuring more than 100 talks and experiences over three days.
Links
Superpowers may be real and science needs to study them | Essentia Foundation
Superpowers, often depicted in popular culture as superhuman abilities like invisibility and telekinesis, have long inspired myths and stories. Hans Busstra and Jeffrey Kripal explore the idea that these powers may in fact have a basis in reality, and advocate for scientific study to understand them better. “What if the humanities could scientifically investigate what happened when, for instance, Nikola Tesla had the visions that led to groundbreaking inventions? What happened when Einstein saw the principles of general relativity in a dream?”
Microdosing Psychedelics Could Help People With ADHD
A new study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry suggests that microdosing LSD or magic mushrooms might improve mindfulness in adults with ADHD. The researchers looked at 233 adults with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms who already intended to start microdosing, and found improvements in all facets of mindfulness after four weeks, with average scores comparable to general population samples. While approved ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin are proven effective, ongoing shortages, under-diagnosis in women, and social stigma create barriers to access, leading many to turn to psychedelics as an alternative treatment option.
Unlocking Consciousness Agility - by Alexander Beiner
In this podcast episode, Beiner speaks with Trish Blain about her concept of ‘consciousness agility’ and why she believes it can help us move into new territory in our lives by helping us to act on our ideas and bring them into reality.
Discovered: A "brain-body circuit" that turns inflammation up and down - Big Think
Researchers have discovered a brain-body circuit in mice that can regulate inflammation levels by manipulating specific groups of neurons in the brain stem connected to the vagus nerve. This groundbreaking study published in Nature reveals the potential for new treatments targeting diseases characterized by excessive inflammation, such as diabetes, arthritis, and long COVID. By activating this neural pathway, scientists were able to control inflammatory responses, offering promising therapeutic implications for various immune-related conditions and dysregulated inflammatory states in individuals with immune diseases and disorders.
Brain Really Uses Quantum Effects, New Study Finds
Sabine Hossenfelder looks at recent research that has unveiled intriguing findings suggesting that microtubules within the human brain exhibit quantum effects, challenging conventional notions of consciousness. This study lends support to Roger Penrose's theory that quantum processes in microtubules are involved in cognitive functions, shedding light on their role in conscious thought. The discovery of superradiance in these microtubules provides compelling evidence of quantum phenomena at work, potentially influencing cellular protection and neurological conditions. While the precise link between quantum effects and consciousness remains elusive, this study paves the way for further exploration into this fascinating intersection of neuroscience and quantum mechanics. It could be a first step to solving ‘the hard problem of consciousness’ via a materialistic explanation, or a basis for confirmation that quantum non-local effects are the foundation of reality.
A Cubic Millimeter of a Human Brain Has Been Mapped in Spectacular Detail | Scientific American
Researchers have successfully mapped a cubic millimeter of human brain tissue, revealing intricate details of neural connections and cellular structures. This breakthrough study, published in Science, provides a 3D map of approximately 57,000 cells and 150 million synapses within a minuscule portion of the brain, equivalent to one-millionth of a whole brain. The map, accessible online, offers unparalleled insights into the micro-circuitry of the human cortex, potentially leading to new treatments for psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.
Psychedelics open a new window on the mechanisms of perception | Knowable Magazine
A recent study has explored the effects of psychedelics on perception, finding that they alter the brain's reliance on prior expectations and sensory information. When psychedelics bind to 5-HT2A receptors, they make the brain more receptive to actual sensory data, leading to vivid perceptual experiences. This shift in brain function can cause hallucinations, such as seeing clouds morph into familiar faces, as the brain's visual system challenges its prior beliefs about the world.
Into and out of the meta-crisis: Interview with Daniel Thorson
Daniel Thorson, a philosopher, writer, and host of the Emerge podcast, discusses the concept of the "meta-crisis" in this interview. He defines it as a crisis of perception, where people are struggling to distinguish between reality and virtual reality. Thorson believes this crisis is driven by the increasing influence of technology on our lives, particularly social media, and the blurring of lines between the physical and digital worlds. He suggests that the meta-crisis has significant implications for our understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us.
How does ChatGPT ‘think’? Psychology and neuroscience crack open AI large language models
Researchers are delving into the complexities of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to understand their behavior, crucial for enhancing the safety, efficiency, and accuracy of AI systems. These advanced AI models, powered by machine learning and neural networks, present challenges due to their inscrutable patterns and vast number of parameters - what has become known as the ‘black box’ in the LLM system. The quest for explainability in AI is rapidly growing, highlighting the need to unravel the enigma of these systems to ensure their optimal performance and reliability.
Focus on AI Hype
Joanne McNeil | Team Human
In this podcast interview, Douglas Rushkoff and Joanne McNeil discuss her recent novel "Wrong Way," which explores the themes of technology, humanity, and the hidden labor embedded in modern systems. The book centers around a woman who discovers that autonomous vehicles are actually operated by humans, a metaphor for the dehumanization and exploitation of workers in the gig economy. McNeil aims to make the invisible labor and humanity in technology visible, drawing on her own experiences in a call center to portray the frustration and anxiety of precarious jobs. Their conversation also touches on the challenges of navigating the media landscape, where information is often sensationalized for profit or to weaponize ideas, and expresses hope in the power of human connection and care to make a difference in real time.
Has Generative AI Already Peaked? - Computerphile
In this video Dr Mike Pound discusses a new paper which suggests diminishing returns from larger and larger generative AI models, and debunks the hype which claims that AI is on an exponentially upward trajectory. In other words, the main gains of AI are in the past and any significant future gain could well require more data than exists in the world.
Big Tech Is Faking AI
In this video Sasha Yansin says that many big companies are falsely claiming to be AI-focused for stock market success, but many are faking their AI capabilities. Amazon’s cashier-less stores were revealed to have human operators, while Google faked AI demos. Google’s ranking system, supposedly AI-driven, actually relies on human quality raters. He goes on to explain how AI-generated search results are leading to small websites disappearing because people just read the summary, often copied word for word from a smaller website which they then have no need to visit. The AI hype wave has been benefiting companies financially, despite the lack of real AI progress.
ChatGPT: The Soul Eater - Nick Cave's Emotional Letter - Read by Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry reads a letter from Nick Cave, comparing the automatisms of ChatGPT to the creative struggle of the human artist. AI is ‘fast-tracking the commodification of the human spirit’ in Cave’s opinion.
Artificial Creativity
Douglas Rushkoff argues that artificial intelligence (AI) is not truly creative, but rather mimics human creativity by analyzing patterns in existing art and generating new works based on those patterns. He suggests that while AI can produce novel outputs, it lacks the deeper understanding and emotional resonance that human artists bring to their work. Rushkoff contends that AI art is a reflection of the biases and limitations of the data it is trained on, and that true creativity requires the ability to think outside of established patterns and conventions.
Big Tech AI Is A Lie
Tina Huang uses this video to puncture the AI bubble and the claims that AI companies are working ‘for the benefit of humanity’. In fact they are prioritizing profit over safety, and growth over innovation. There is a clear conflict between the need to produce a safe AI which actually benefits humanity and giving investors a return on their - considerable - investment. And according to Huang, ROI is the clear winner.
The AI hype bubble is the new crypto hype bubble | by Cory Doctorow | Medium
Doctorow discusses the parallels between the AI hype bubble and past tech bubbles like cryptocurrency, highlighting instances where companies capitalized on buzzwords without substantial integration or impact. He critiques the inflated expectations surrounding AI, emphasizing how major players fuel the hype for their benefit while warning against overlooking the potential negative consequences of AI advancements. He is generally skeptical about AI replacing traditional roles like novelists or developers, cautioning against overestimating the transformative power of AI technologies (although bear in mind this article is over a year old and it may have surpassed what he thought was possible back then, however the points stand).
Apple’s New Ad Showing Machines Crushing Human Creativity Is a Bit on the Nose
Apple's new iPad Pro ad, featuring a hydraulic press crushing beloved creative objects like an "Angry Birds" desk ornament, guitar, piano, and books, is being criticized as a heavy-handed attempt to showcase the device's thinness and power. However, many view the ad as heartbreaking, uncomfortable, and egotistic, with some expressing shame in buying Apple products due to the ad's dystopian undertones that seem to symbolize the tech industry's homogenization and crushing of human creativity. Bonnitta Roy posts the ‘anti-ad’ here, which is actually more powerful than the original.
Is the AI bubble popping?
This video from Synapse examines, via the example of Emad Mostaque’s ironically somewhat ‘unstable’ leadership of the AI startup Stability AI, the current turbulent phase in the hype cycle. Promises of exponential growth and societal change are contrasted with the reality of firms struggling to monetize when faced with massive data and hosting costs.
Nuggets From The Archive
What are the symptoms of dementia and how do you get a diagnosis?
Dementia is a group of related symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning, with memory loss, difficulty concentrating, problems with language and communication, misunderstanding what is seen, confusion about time or place, and mood changes as common early signs. To get a diagnosis, the article suggests you contact your GP who will give an initial assessment and may refer you to a local memory service for tests assessing memory and thinking, and possibly a brain scan. If results suggest dementia, specialists will discuss the findings with you and provide support.
Debunking the #1 myth about enlightenment | Robert Waldinger
The video emphasizes that enlightenment is not a permanent state, but rather a realization of the interconnectedness of all things, which can lead to brief, unusual experiences that are ultimately impermanent; it suggests that Zen teaching focuses on compassionate actions in each moment, and that pursuing enlightenment is not about self-improvement but about being compassionate.
Actually, neuroscience suggests "the self" is real - Big Think
Neuroscience suggests that the self is a real and detectable informational entity that emerges from cognitive processes within the brain, rather than a material entity. This understanding challenges the long-standing debate between the existence of an intrinsic self and the idea that it's an illusion. The article implies that this has profound implications for human experience, mental health, moral reasoning, and our comprehension of reality. Although what is an ‘informational entity’ as opposed to a ‘material entity’?
FULL ENLIGHTENMENT HAPPENING LIVE (1st Time In Human History) 開悟之路
However, Frank Yang begs to differ with the previous video. He claims to be in a permanently altered state as a result of his intense meditation practice and that in ‘his’ experience, awareness is aware of itself in each moment.
 | A guest post by
|