Gregory's ServerBig Tech likes to push the trope that things are moving and changing too quickly and there's no way that regulators could really keep up --- better (on their view) to just let the innovators innovate. This is false: many of the issues stay stable over quite some time. Case in point: Here's me **5 years ago** pointing out that large language models shouldn't be used as sources of information about the world, and that doing so poses risks to the information ecosystem:
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 @emilymbender Can you post a copy of the thread here? Twitter doesn't let you view post threads anymore without logging in.   @Quinn9282 @emilymbender a little late but here's the unrolled thread if it helps https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1119081131234611201.html @emilymbender It's language used to dissuade tampering from outside. We want to protect natural ecosystems, right? Gated community, siloed systems, anything is better than ecosystem as a descriptor.  @emilymbender Technology moves fast, but the cynical view always keeps up, because techbros are just chasing money and can be expected to do all the wrong things. @emilymbender ah yes. Five years ago experts gave warnings but "there isn't enough evidence yet"; five years later "regulators cannot keep up with the pace of change".  🤷 But then the issues are not exactly surprising to even BSc level students of the field, and have been known for years, as you say. But I guess a realistic understanding of the technology is only an obstacle if you are trying to collect checks from investors. Technology cheerleaders do way better in these jobs. and discussions about how algorithmic systems are biased, will accelerate discrimination, and therefore should be de-biased have been around *at least* since 2016 (which is when I got into the topic, 8 years ago by now).  Proof that it's tech that moves too fast, but the senescent, male narcissists charged with regulating it don't move at all. Bender for Senate! @emilymbender@dair-community.social My own experience in tech has taught me that people in tech thinks they know more about a field than the folks that study it. @emilymbender Tech moves so fast, so-called innovators can't keep up. So they just roll their snowballs downhill and hope for the best. Exactly the environment responsible regulators should monitor closely.  @futurebird @emilymbender +1 agree. We developed "typographic conventions" that allow us to reproduce the words of others with proper attribution. Japanese has a whole separate character used to write names and words of foreign origin. We really ought to consider adopting such a convention for AI-generated text. Those training the AI models are likely to find it incredibly useful as well.  @marshray @futurebird @emilymbender Technically katakana was just what was used for Japanese a really really long time ago. As it completely fell out of use it was repurposed. In some ways it's like how we give Latin names to modern things. EDIT: Well, I stand corrected. Wikipedia says it was for transliteration from the start. Though that's from Wikipedia, so... 😁 @marshray @emilymbender @futurebird This is a little too extreme. For example, Wikipedia at least *tries* to maintain some vague semblance of detachment. They don't always and there are whole articles about how certain section get sort of taken over by bias, but it shouldn't just be off-handedly disregarded either. Similarly some political stuff comes from inside sources and can only really be gotten from an affiliated source. You have to take this with a grain of salt, but can't ignore it. @nazokiyoubinbou The point isn't that any of those things are wholly good or bad, it's that admonitions to simply disregard available sources of information are practically never effective. @emilymbender I would argue even if tech was moving and changing too quickly -- even if we accept the argument entirely on face value -- that would just mean that it is necessary to act faster. If some tech arose that allowed people to make atomic bombs in their basement, it would be regulated quickly, not allowed with the hopes that it will regulate itself. |
@emilymbender Would like to read it but twittex won't let me in any more.