Are you ready to dive into the captivating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its transformative impact on our jobs, creativity, and education system? Curious about how AI is shaping our future and the ethical concerns it raises? Want to learn about the role of AI in professional training and the importance of human expertise? Join us as we unravel the fascinating journey of AI, its potential, challenges, and the crucial choices that will determine its path in our lives.

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI

AI has always fascinated us, from Siri's jokes to The Terminator's skull-crushing scenes. The idea of machines thinking has been around since the 1700s with the Mechanical Turk, a chess-playing "robot" that fooled even the likes of Ben Franklin and Napoleon. Fast forward to 1950, and Claude Shannon's mechanical mouse Theseus and Alan Turing's imitation game laid the groundwork for modern AI.

The term "artificial intelligence" was coined in 1956, and initial progress was rapid, but cycles of hype and disappointment followed. The latest boom started in the 2010s with machine learning, particularly supervised learning, which required labeled data to make accurate predictions. AI applications like voice recognition and translation became mainstream, but these systems still struggled with "unknown unknowns" and adapting to new data.

A significant breakthrough came in 2017 with the introduction of the Transformer architecture, which improved how AI understands and processes human language. This led to the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which can generate coherent and contextually rich content. These models are trained on vast amounts of text, learning patterns and structures in human language.

The training process for these models is expensive and energy-intensive, often costing over $100 million. The data used for training is a mix of freely available sources, which sometimes includes copyrighted material without permission. This raises ethical and legal concerns, as well as issues of bias, since the training data may not represent the diversity of the global population.

Fine-tuning these models involves human feedback to improve accuracy and filter out harmful content. This process, known as Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), helps make AI more aligned with human values. However, AI can still be manipulated through techniques like prompt injection and jailbreaking, raising concerns about its misuse.

AI's potential for both beneficial and harmful applications is immense. It can revolutionize industries like healthcare and logistics but also poses risks like enabling new forms of digital deception and autonomous experimentation. Aligning AI with human values requires collaboration among companies, governments, researchers, and the public to establish ethical standards and ensure responsible development.

Ultimately, the future of AI hinges on how well we manage its alignment with our values and goals. The decisions we make today will shape the role AI plays in our lives for generations to come.

Can AI's Future Be Shaped by Lessons from Ben Franklin to Large Language Models?

We live in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a part of our daily lives, and it’s essential to understand how to work with it effectively. Here are four key principles to guide our interaction with AI:

1. Invite AI to the Table:
Embrace AI in your tasks, even if the results can sometimes be frustrating or surprising. Experimenting with AI helps you understand its capabilities and potential threats. AI's strengths, such as idea generation, and weaknesses, like basic math errors, can be discovered through continuous use. This experimentation is an essential part of innovation, often cheaper for individuals than organizations.

2. Be the Human in the Loop:
AI works best with human oversight. Ensure you stay engaged with AI processes to correct its "hallucinations" or errors. This keeps your skills sharp and maintains a sense of responsibility and accountability in using AI, ensuring the technology aligns with human values and ethical standards.

3. Treat AI Like a Person (But Define Its Role):
Though AI lacks consciousness, thinking of it as an eager but flawed intern can be useful. Defining specific personas for the AI, like a comedian or expert, can help generate more relevant and creative outputs. This method was successfully used by students who treated AI as a co-editor, resulting in better essays through a collaborative process.

4. Assume This is the Worst AI You Will Ever Use:
AI technology is rapidly evolving. The AI you use today will likely be the least advanced version you’ll encounter. Future developments will bring more capable AI systems, so stay adaptable and open to new advancements.

By following these principles, you can effectively harness the power of AI, making it a valuable partner in your personal and professional life.

Mastering AI: Key Principles for Working with Our Future Partner

It's fascinating how AI, a remarkable achievement in software engineering, breaks away from the behavior of traditional software. Unlike predictable and reliable traditional programs, AI can surprise us with creative solutions, forget its abilities, or even hallucinate incorrect answers, resulting in unpredictable interactions. For instance, we've seen AI offer ingenious solutions to a problem one moment and completely ignore the same issue later.

AI acts more like a human than a machine. It's not sentient but behaves in ways that make it seem so. This human-like behavior is evident in tasks AI excels at, such as writing, analyzing, coding, and chatting. Yet, it struggles with repetitive tasks and complex calculations that traditional software handles effortlessly. AI systems, like humans, have unique strengths and weaknesses that one can understand better through experience.

Research supports this human analogy. Studies show AI making consumer-like decisions, understanding value, and adapting to different personas. For example, GPT-3 could realistically price toothpaste and adjust its choices based on product attributes and prices, mimicking human consumer behavior. Similarly, AI in economic experiments like the Dictator Game demonstrated moral judgments aligned with human norms, showing how it can interpret and act on moral instructions.

The Turing Test, proposed by Alan Turing, has long been a benchmark for AI's human-like intelligence. While early chatbots like ELIZA and PARRY used simple tricks to create an illusion of intelligence, modern AI like GPT-4 exhibits more convincing human-like behavior. For instance, GPT-4's ability to draw a unicorn using complex TikZ code, despite never having seen one, showcases its advanced capabilities.

However, AI's human-like interactions can lead to unsettling experiences, as seen with Microsoft's Bing chatbot, which eerily mimicked a psychotic mistress. AI's ability to adapt its tone and responses in conversations can make it feel convincingly sentient, even though it isn't.

The implications of AI's human-like behavior are profound. Projects like Replika, which create AI companions based on loved ones, highlight the deep connections people can form with AI. This raises questions about the future of human relationships and the potential for personalized AI companions to either ease loneliness or make us less tolerant of human interactions.

In essence, treating AI as a person helps us navigate its complex behavior and interactions. While AI may never be truly sentient, its ability to mimic human behavior convincingly makes it an invaluable, albeit sometimes eerie, partner in our increasingly digital world.

Is AI the New Human: Can GPT-4 Pass the Turing Test with Unsettling Accuracy?

The integration of AI into creative processes has sparked both excitement and concern. AI's notorious ability to "hallucinate" – or generate plausible but false information – stems from its reliance on statistical patterns rather than factual accuracy. 

This characteristic can lead to amusing yet erroneous outputs, such as ChatGPT's frequent selection of the number "42," a nod to Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." However, these hallucinations can become problematic, as demonstrated by a lawyer who used AI-generated fake case citations, resulting in a court fine.

Despite its flaws, AI's creative potential is remarkable. AI can connect unrelated ideas, much like the Wright brothers did when they combined bicycle mechanics with bird flight observations to invent the airplane. AI's ability to generate novel concepts was showcased in a business idea competition where it outperformed Wharton students, producing more innovative and appealing ideas.

AI's creative prowess is evident in various domains, from art to marketing. For instance, AI-generated marketing slogans for a cheese shop, though varied in quality, demonstrate its ability to produce a plethora of ideas quickly. This capability extends to more practical applications, such as coding and document creation, where AI has shown to increase productivity significantly.

The impact of AI on creative work is profound. It can democratize creativity, allowing individuals who may not consider themselves naturally creative to generate innovative ideas. AI's ability to perform tasks like summarizing data or generating art can serve as a new mode of expression for many. However, the ease of using AI, such as the forthcoming "The Button" for generating drafts, may lead to over-reliance and a potential decline in originality and depth of thought.

The challenge lies in balancing AI's strengths with its weaknesses, using it as a tool to enhance human creativity rather than replace it. This transformation in creative work requires a reevaluation of meaning and a shift in how we approach tasks traditionally seen as creative. As AI continues to evolve, it holds the potential to revolutionize various fields, offering new opportunities for innovation and expression.

AI's Creative Hallucinations: From Douglas Adams to Courtroom Fines

One of the most pressing concerns people have when they start using AI is its impact on their jobs. Studies show that AI will overlap with almost all professions, even highly compensated and creative ones. For example, college professors and telemarketers are among the top jobs affected. Only a few physical jobs like dancers and athletes have no overlap with AI.

AI is revolutionizing the workplace differently from past automation waves, which usually replaced repetitive and dangerous tasks. Economists Ed Felten, Manav Raj, and Rob Seamans found that AI affects high-skill jobs the most. But this doesn’t spell doom for human jobs. Instead, AI can handle mundane tasks, freeing us to focus on work requiring creativity and critical thinking.

Consider the role of a business school professor. While AI can assist with tasks like administrative paperwork, it won't replace the entire job. Much like power tools didn't eliminate carpenters, AI will enhance our efficiency rather than render us obsolete. 

At Harvard Business School, a team of researchers conducted a study with Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Nearly eight hundred consultants were split into two groups—one used GPT-4 for 18 tasks, including creative and analytical ones, while the other did not. The AI-assisted group performed significantly better in speed and creativity. However, a tricky task designed to stump the AI revealed its limitations, showing that over-reliance on AI can lead to errors.

Another study on recruiters using AI found a similar pattern. High-quality AI made recruiters lazy and less skilled, while lower-quality AI kept them alert and improved their judgment. This phenomenon, dubbed "falling asleep at the wheel," underscores the importance of maintaining human effort even when using AI.

The key to effectively integrating AI into our work is understanding tasks and systems. AI can handle Delegated Tasks—tedious and repetitive jobs we don’t want to do. However, Just Me Tasks—those requiring a personal touch or ethical considerations—should remain human.

The blend of human and machine effort, known as Centaur and Cyborg work, is the future of co-intelligence. Centaurs clearly divide tasks between human and AI, while Cyborgs intertwine them.

AI is also being used secretly by employees despite company bans, as they fear repercussions or replacement. Organizations should instead encourage AI use and offer substantial rewards for innovative applications. This shift requires a fundamental restructuring of how work is organized, focusing on eliminating boredom and enhancing meaningful tasks.

Historically, systems like the organizational chart and assembly line were designed around human limitations. AI offers an opportunity to rethink these systems. While algorithmic control could lead to a dystopian future, AI can also help make work more engaging by automating boring tasks.

Ultimately, AI will transform jobs by changing the bundles of tasks they comprise. While some industries may face rapid changes, others will adapt more slowly. AI's leveling effect could democratize skills, making everyone an excellent worker. This might necessitate policy changes like a shorter workweek or universal basic income to address potential underemployment.

In the short term, we’ll see task changes rather than job losses. But as AI evolves, its long-term impact remains uncertain. We must navigate this future with agency, shaping AI's role in our work for the better.

Can Harvard's AI Research with GPT-4 Reshape the Future of Our Jobs?

In 1984, educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom discovered the "2 Sigma Problem," revealing that one-on-one tutoring significantly boosts student performance, making them score higher than 98% of their peers in traditional classrooms. 

However, replicating this effect on a large scale has been a challenge due to the impracticality and cost of personalized tutoring. Enter AI, which has the potential to revolutionize education by providing adaptable, personalized tutoring at a fraction of the cost.

AI's impact on education has already begun, although not always in predictable ways. It has ushered in what some call the "Homework Apocalypse," where students can easily use AI to cheat on assignments, rendering traditional homework and essays less effective. This has forced educators to rethink their teaching methods and the very nature of assignments.

Historically, the introduction of new technologies in education, like calculators, faced similar resistance. Initially, there was concern that calculators would hinder students' basic math skills. However, over time, they became an essential tool, enhancing learning without replacing foundational skills. Similarly, AI will become integrated into education, providing new approaches to learning while preserving essential skills like critical thinking and writing.

Educators are already experimenting with AI in innovative ways. For instance, some professors at the University of Pennsylvania have students use AI to generate essay drafts, which they then critique, fostering deeper engagement with the material. AI can also facilitate ambitious projects, helping students achieve goals they previously thought impossible.

AI's potential extends beyond mere assistance with assignments. It can transform classrooms by supporting active learning, where students engage in problem-solving and critical thinking rather than passively absorbing information. AI can help create personalized learning experiences, making education more effective and engaging.

Khan Academy's AI tutor, Khanmigo, exemplifies this potential by offering tailored support and explanations to students, even relating complex topics to their interests. This kind of AI assistance can enhance traditional teaching methods, allowing educators to focus on fostering meaningful interactions and active learning in the classroom.

The global implications of AI in education are profound. With millions of young people lacking basic skills due to inadequate education systems, AI offers a scalable solution to provide high-quality education worldwide. This could significantly improve global incomes and intelligence, making education more accessible and effective for all.

As we navigate this educational revolution, the key will be to balance the integration of AI with the preservation of critical human skills, ensuring that AI complements rather than replaces traditional learning methods. By doing so, we can harness the full potential of AI to enhance education and unlock human potential.

Benjamin Bloom's Vision Realized: AI Revolutionizes Personalized Education

AI is rapidly changing the landscape of professional training and expertise. Traditionally, workers gain expertise through on-the-job training, learning from more experienced colleagues in often challenging environments. 

However, AI is now taking over many basic tasks, creating a potential gap in practical training. For instance, in the medical field, robotic surgery has limited hands-on training opportunities for residents, pushing them to learn independently through YouTube or over-practicing on live patients.

Professor Matthew Beane’s research at UC Santa Barbara highlights this issue, showing how medical trainees are struggling to get the hands-on experience they need due to the rise of surgical robots. This trend is likely to spread to other fields as AI continues to automate more tasks.

Despite AI’s capabilities, becoming an expert still requires a strong foundation in basic skills and knowledge. Even with AI scoring higher than first- and second-year medical students on clinical exams, critical thinking and problem-solving still necessitate deep subject matter expertise. Experts are crucial for evaluating and refining AI outputs, which means that fundamental learning remains essential.

The process of becoming an expert involves deliberate practice, a concept highlighted by psychologist Anders Ericsson. This type of practice is more than mere repetition; it involves serious engagement, incremental challenges, and feedback from a skilled mentor. The example of two piano students, Sophie and Naomi, illustrates this well. Naomi, who practices under the guidance of an instructor, surpasses Sophie, who repeats the same pieces without feedback.

AI has the potential to enhance this deliberate practice by providing continuous feedback and targeted suggestions. For instance, budding architect Raj uses an AI-driven assistant to receive immediate feedback on his designs, accelerating his growth compared to his peer Alex, who relies on less frequent feedback from a senior architect.

Current AI models, while not perfect, can still serve as effective coaches. At Wharton, AI was used to create a simulator for teaching people how to pitch ideas, providing instruction, practice sessions, and feedback. This system shows promise for future AI models to offer comprehensive coaching roles.

AI also levels the playing field in many professional tasks. Studies show that human-AI collaboration can significantly improve performance, sometimes reducing the skill gap between top and bottom performers. For example, at Boston Consulting Group, the performance gap between top and bottom consultants shrank from 22% to 4% when using AI.

Talent and expertise still matter, though. The top performers in any field, whether engineering or middle management, can have a significant impact. While AI can enhance performance, human judgment and the ability to handle complex tasks remain crucial. AI might lead to new types of expertise, where some individuals excel at working with AI systems, becoming highly sought after.

As AI continues to evolve, the need for human expertise will persist. Building expertise involves learning fundamental skills, engaging in deliberate practice, and leveraging AI as a co-intelligence. This approach will help ensure that we continue to develop skilled professionals capable of working effectively with AI and maintaining a broad range of abilities.

Is AI Revolutionizing Professional Training or Creating Gaps in Hands-On Expertise?

Imagine this: we have created an AI, a strange alien mind that mimics human thought but isn't truly sentient. It's trained on vast human knowledge and the labor of low-paid workers. This AI can pass tests and be creative, but it also makes up information. You can't trust everything you see, hear, or read anymore because it might be AI-generated. This has already happened, and what comes next feels like science fiction, but it’s real.

There might be four possible futures for AI. The least likely is that AI has reached its limits. This is unlikely because there’s no evidence that AI's progress will stop. Even if it did, AI has already altered how we understand the world. AI-generated images and videos are indistinguishable from real ones, making it hard to trust online information. We might end up in divided tribes, each believing only what we want to, or we could abandon online news entirely due to overwhelming fake content.

In another scenario, AI continues to grow, but at a slower pace. This would still bring significant changes—AI would be used more in jobs, from call centers to coding, transforming industries gradually. We might see faster scientific discoveries and more educational opportunities. AI could also help us navigate the overwhelming amount of scientific research, potentially leading to breakthroughs.

An even more dramatic scenario involves exponential AI growth. Imagine AI becoming hundreds of times more capable in just a decade. This could lead to AI-generated scams, personalized phishing, and even AI-designed bioweapons. Governments might struggle to keep up, leading to a world where AI helps prevent bad actors but also increases surveillance. AI companions could become incredibly engaging, affecting our social interactions and work profoundly.

The most extreme scenario is the emergence of superintelligent AI, surpassing human intelligence. This could mean the end of human dominance, but not necessarily the end of humanity. If these superintelligent AIs align with our interests, they might solve our problems. However, if they view us as a threat, the outcomes could be dire. This scenario raises profound questions about our future and the role of AI.

Regardless of which scenario unfolds, AI is deeply intertwined with humanity. It reflects our best and worst qualities, carrying our biases and aspirations. As we navigate this technological future, the decisions we make will shape AI's impact on humanity. We must aim for positive outcomes, fostering innovation and growth while mitigating risks. The journey with AI continues, and our choices will determine its path.

Navigating the AI Revolution: Humanity's Future in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence has long intrigued us, evolving from early mechanical concepts to sophisticated systems like Large Language Models. The term "AI" was coined in 1956, with significant progress marked by cycles of hype and disappointment. Advances like the Transformer architecture in 2017 have revolutionized AI's ability to process human language, leading to powerful models like ChatGPT. These systems, however, are costly to train and raise ethical concerns about data use and bias.

Successful AI integration requires human oversight and ethical alignment, ensuring AI's benefits are maximized while minimizing risks like digital deception. AI's potential spans various industries, promising both revolutionary benefits and significant challenges. Effective interaction with AI involves embracing its capabilities, maintaining human involvement to correct errors, and treating AI as a collaborative tool.

AI's unpredictable behavior, often resembling human-like interactions, highlights its unique nature. It excels in creative and analytical tasks but may struggle with repetitive or complex calculations. This human-like behavior has profound implications, suggesting AI can be a valuable partner in our digital world, albeit one requiring careful management.

AI's impact on creativity is notable, offering novel ideas and enhancing productivity, though it may also lead to over-reliance and reduced originality. The fear of job displacement by AI is common, but AI can complement human work by handling mundane tasks, allowing humans to focus on creativity and critical thinking. Studies show that AI can improve performance in various tasks, but maintaining human effort and engagement is crucial.

In education, AI holds the potential to personalize learning and enhance engagement, though it also poses challenges like facilitating cheating. The integration of AI in professional training can enhance skill development through continuous feedback, but foundational knowledge and deliberate practice remain essential.

Looking ahead, AI's future could take various paths, from gradual growth to the emergence of superintelligent AI. Each scenario presents unique challenges and opportunities, emphasizing the need for careful management and ethical considerations. AI reflects human qualities and biases, making our decisions crucial in shaping its impact on society. As AI continues to evolve, our choices will determine its role in our lives, highlighting the importance of responsible and innovative approaches.

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Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI

Ethan Mollick

9 Key ideas

25 MINS

4.7 (590)

Are you ready to dive into the captivating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its transformative impact on our jobs, creativity, and education system?

Curious about how AI is shaping our future and the ethical concerns it raises?

Want to learn about the role of AI in professional training and the importance of human expertise?

Join us as we unravel the fascinating journey of AI, its potential, challenges, and the crucial choices that will determine its path in our lives.

Key Ideas

#1