The Paradox of Effort in AI Development

Using the childhood analogy of damming a creek, the author explores the tension between striving for maximum effort and making wise choices in AI development. Initially, like a child, the author tried building dams with small rocks and leaves, only to discover a more efficient method with a shovel. This realization highlights how 'victory' can sometimes mean a shrinking of the game's space. Similarly, in AI, the author relentlessly pursued an investment banking job, only to find, upon success, that the game of 'making as much money as possible' was no longer available. He argues that against overwhelming forces (nature, the market), full effort can be counterproductive. Anthropic's recent report on educational applications, however, suggests a growing awareness of potential risks, akin to noticing the struggling clams on a beach.