AI is a horse (2024) (kconner.com)

Article summary

The article compares AI to a horse, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, such as being faster than human feet but slower and less reliable than a train, and requiring constant guidance and maintenance. The author notes that AI is not a straightforward solution, but rather a tool that needs to be carefully managed and directed. The comparison is meant to illustrate the limitations and challenges of working with AI. The article also touches on the idea that AI is not a replacement for human intelligence, but rather a complementary tool.

Main themes

• AI limitations
• Technology comparison
• Human-AI interaction
• Innovation and progress
• Business and marketing strategies

What commenters say

• The comparison between AI and a horse is apt, as both require careful guidance and maintenance to function effectively.
• Starting with the customer experience and working backwards to the technology is a more effective approach than developing technology and then trying to find a use for it.
• The development of AI is more akin to the development of the internet, with many solutions looking for problems to solve, rather than a traditional product development process.
• Some argue that Steve Jobs' approach to innovation, focusing on the customer experience and working backwards to the technology, is not applicable to AI, while others believe it is still relevant.
• The idea that AI is a solution looking for a problem is not new, and has been a characteristic of the tech industry for decades, with many companies developing technology and then trying to find a market for it.
• The development of AI requires a deep understanding of the customer experience and the ability to work backwards to the technology, rather than simply developing technology and trying to sell it.
• The comparison between AI and a horse highlights the importance of understanding the limitations and challenges of working with AI, and the need for careful management and direction.