The Limits of Trying Your Hardest in AI Development
The author uses childhood memories of damming a creek to illustrate the limitations of striving for maximum effort in AI development. Initially, he painstakingly built small dams, only to later discover the efficiency of using a shovel. This victory, however, diminished the exploratory aspect of the game. Similarly, in work and life, achieving a goal (like a high-paying job) changes the rules of the game. The author argues that AI development should heed this lesson, focusing not only on creating powerful AI but also on potential risks and unexplored areas. Just like observing the tenacity of small clams in a tidal pool, attention to detail and nuance are crucial. Anthropic's recent report on educational applications seems to acknowledge this.
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