• #333;">How to Spot AI Hype and Avoid The AI Con, According to Two Experts
    "Artificial intelligence, if we're being frank, is a con: a bill of goods you are being sold to line someone's pockets."That is the heart of the argument that linguist Emily Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna make in their new book The AI Con.
    It's a useful guide for anyone whose life has intersected with technologies sold as artificial intelligence and anyone who's questioned their real usefulness, which is most of us.
    Bender is a professor at the University of Washington who was named one of Time magazine's most influential people in artificial intelligence, and Hanna is the director of research at the nonprofit Distributed AI Research Institute and a former member of the ethical AI team at Google.The explosion of ChatGPT in late 2022 kicked off a new hype cycle in AI.
    Hype, as the authors define it, is the "aggrandizement" of technology that you are convinced you need to buy or invest in "lest you miss out on entertainment or pleasure, monetary reward, return on investment, or market share." But it's not the first time, nor likely the last, that scholars, government leaders and regular people have been intrigued and worried by the idea of machine learning and AI.Bender and Hanna trace the roots of machine learning back to the 1950s, to when mathematician John McCarthy coined the term artificial intelligence.
    It was in an era when the United States was looking to fund projects that would help the country gain any kind of edge on the Soviets militarily, ideologically and technologically.
    "It didn't spring whole cloth out of Zeus's head or anything.
    This has a longer history," Hanna said in an interview with CNET.
    "It's certainly not the first hype cycle with, quote, unquote, AI."Today's hype cycle is propelled by the billions of dollars of venture capital investment into startups like OpenAI and the tech giants like Meta, Google and Microsoft pouring billions of dollars into AI research and development.
    The result is clear, with all the newest phones, laptops and software updates drenched in AI-washing.
    And there are no signs that AI research and development will slow down, thanks in part to a growing motivation to beat China in AI development.
    Not the first hype cycle indeed.Of course, generative AI in 2025 is much more advanced than the Eliza psychotherapy chatbot that first enraptured scientists in the 1970s.
    Today's business leaders and workers are inundated with hype, with a heavy dose of FOMO and seemingly complex but often misused jargon.
    Listening to tech leaders and AI enthusiasts, it might seem like AI will take your job to save your company money.
    But the authors argue that neither is wholly likely, which is one reason why it's important to recognize and break through the hype.So how do we recognize AI hype? These are a few telltale signs, according to Bender and Hanna, that we share below.
    The authors outline more questions to ask and strategies for AI hype busting in their book, which is out now in the US.Watch out for language that humanizes AIAnthropomorphizing, or the process of giving an inanimate object human-like characteristics or qualities, is a big part of building AI hype.
    An example of this kind of language can be found when AI companies say their chatbots can now "see" and "think."These can be useful comparisons when trying to describe the ability of new object-identifying AI programs or deep-reasoning AI models, but they can also be misleading.
    AI chatbots aren't capable of seeing of thinking because they don't have brains.
    Even the idea of neural nets, Hanna noted in our interview and in the book, is based on human understanding of neurons from the 1950s, not actually how neurons work, but it can fool us into believing there's a brain behind the machine.That belief is something we're predisposed to because of how we as humans process language.
    We're conditioned to imagine that there is a mind behind the text we see, even when we know it's generated by AI, Bender said.
    "We interpret language by developing a model in our minds of who the speaker was," Bender added.In these models, we use our knowledge of the person speaking to create meaning, not just using the meaning of the words they say.
    "So when we encounter synthetic text extruded from something like ChatGPT, we're going to do the same thing," Bender said.
    "And it is very hard to remind ourselves that the mind isn't there.
    It's just a construct that we have produced."The authors argue that part of why AI companies try to convince us their products are human-like is that this sets the foreground for them to convince us that AI can replace humans, whether it's at work or as creators.
    It's compelling for us to believe that AI could be the silver bullet fix to complicated problems in critical industries like health care and government services.But more often than not, the authors argue, AI isn't bring used to fix anything.
    AI is sold with the goal of efficiency, but AI services end up replacing qualified workers with black box machines that need copious amounts of babysitting from underpaid contract or gig workers.
    As Hanna put it in our interview, "AI is not going to take your job, but it will make your job shittier."Be dubious of the phrase 'super intelligence'If a human can't do something, you should be wary of claims that an AI can do it.
    "Superhuman intelligence, or super intelligence, is a very dangerous turn of phrase, insofar as it thinks that some technology is going to make humans superfluous," Hanna said.
    In "certain domains, like pattern matching at scale, computers are quite good at that.
    But if there's an idea that there's going to be a superhuman poem, or a superhuman notion of research or doing science, that is clear hype." Bender added, "And we don't talk about airplanes as superhuman flyers or rulers as superhuman measurers, it seems to be only in this AI space that that comes up."The idea of AI "super intelligence" comes up often when people talk about artificial general intelligence.
    Many CEOs struggle to define what exactly AGI is, but it's essentially AI's most advanced form, potentially capable of making decisions and handling complex tasks.
    There's still no evidence we're anywhere near a future enabled by AGI, but it's a popular buzzword.Many of these future-looking statements from AI leaders borrow tropes from science fiction.
    Both boosters and doomers — how Bender and Hanna describe AI enthusiasts and those worried about the potential for harm — rely on sci-fi scenarios.
    The boosters imagine an AI-powered futuristic society.
    The doomers bemoan a future where AI robots take over the world and wipe out humanity.The connecting thread, according to the authors, is an unshakable belief that AI is smarter than humans and inevitable.
    "One of the things that we see a lot in the discourse is this idea that the future is fixed, and it's just a question of how fast we get there," Bender said.
    "And then there's this claim that this particular technology is a step on that path, and it's all marketing.
    It is helpful to be able to see behind it."Part of why AI is so popular is that an autonomous functional AI assistant would mean AI companies are fulfilling their promises of world-changing innovation to their investors.
    Planning for that future — whether it's a utopia or dystopia — keeps investors looking forward as the companies burn through billions of dollars and admit they'll miss their carbon emission goals.
    For better or worse, life is not science fiction.
    Whenever you see someone claiming their AI product is straight out of a movie, it's a good sign to approach with skepticism.
    Ask what goes in and how outputs are evaluatedOne of the easiest ways to see through AI marketing fluff is to look and see whether the company is disclosing how it operates.
    Many AI companies won't tell you what content is used to train their models.
    But they usually disclose what the company does with your data and sometimes brag about how their models stack up against competitors.
    That's where you should start looking, typically in their privacy policies.One of the top complaints and concerns from creators is how AI models are trained.
    There are many lawsuits over alleged copyright infringement, and there are a lot of concerns over bias in AI chatbots and their capacity for harm.
    "If you wanted to create a system that is designed to move things forward rather than reproduce the oppressions of the past, you would have to start by curating your data," Bender said.
    Instead, AI companies are grabbing "everything that wasn't nailed down on the internet," Hanna said.If you're hearing about an AI product for the first time, one thing in particular to look out for is any kind of statistic that highlights its effectiveness.
    Like many other researchers, Bender and Hanna have called out that a finding with no citation is a red flag.
    "Anytime someone is selling you something but not giving you access to how it was evaluated, you are on thin ice," Bender said.It can be frustrating and disappointing when AI companies don't disclose certain information about how their AI products work and how they were developed.
    But recognizing those holes in their sales pitch can help deflate hype, even though it would be better to have the information.
    For more, check out our full ChatGPT glossary and how to turn off Apple Intelligence.
    #0066cc;">#how #spot #hype #and #avoid #the #con #according #two #experts #quotartificial #intelligence #we039re #being #frank #bill #goods #you #are #sold #line #someone039s #pocketsquotthat #heart #argument #that #linguist #emily #bender #sociologist #alex #hannamake #their #new #bookthe #conit039s #useful #guide #for #anyone #whose #life #has #intersected #with #technologies #artificial #who039s #questioned #real #usefulness #which #most #usbender #professor #university #washington #who #was #named #one #time #magazine039s #influential #people #hanna #director #research #nonprofit #distributed #instituteand #former #member #ethical #team #googlethe #explosion #chatgpt #late #kicked #off #cycle #aihype #authors #define #quotaggrandizementquot #technology #convinced #need #buy #invest #quotlest #miss #out #entertainment #pleasure #monetary #reward #return #investment #market #sharequot #but #it039s #not #first #nor #likely #last #scholars #government #leaders #regular #have #been #intrigued #worried #idea #machine #learning #aibender #trace #roots #back #1950s #when #mathematician #john #mccarthy #coined #term #intelligenceit #era #united #states #looking #fund #projects #would #help #country #gain #any #kind #edge #soviets #militarily #ideologically #technologicallyquotit #didn039t #spring #whole #cloth #zeus039s #head #anythingthis #longer #historyquot #said #interview #cnetquotit039s #certainly #quote #unquote #aiquottoday039s #propelled #billions #dollars #venture #capital #into #startups #like #openai #tech #giants #meta #google #microsoft #pouring #developmentthe #result #clear #all #newest #phones #laptops #software #updates #drenched #aiwashingand #there #signs #development #will #slow #down #thanks #part #growing #motivation #beat #china #developmentnot #indeedof #course #generative #much #more #advanced #than #eliza #psychotherapy #chatbot #enraptured #scientists #1970stoday039s #business #workers #inundated #heavy #dose #fomo #seemingly #complex #often #misused #jargonlistening #enthusiasts #might #seem #take #your #job #save #company #moneybut #argue #neither #wholly #reason #why #important #recognize #break #through #hypeso #these #few #telltale #share #belowthe #outline #questions #ask #strategies #busting #book #now #uswatch #language #humanizes #aianthropomorphizing #process #giving #inanimate #object #humanlike #characteristics #qualities #big #building #hypean #example #this #can #found #companies #say #chatbots #quotseequot #quotthinkquotthese #comparisons #trying #describe #ability #objectidentifying #programs #deepreasoning #models #they #also #misleadingai #aren039t #capable #seeing #thinking #because #don039t #brainseven #neural #nets #noted #our #based #human #understanding #neurons #from #actually #work #fool #believing #there039s #brain #behind #machinethat #belief #something #predisposed #humans #languagewe039re #conditioned #imagine #mind #text #see #even #know #generated #saidquotwe #interpret #developing #model #minds #speaker #wasquot #addedin #use #knowledge #person #speaking #create #meaning #just #using #words #sayquotso #encounter #synthetic #extruded #going #same #thingquot #saidquotand #very #hard #remind #ourselves #isn039t #thereit039s #construct #producedquotthe #try #convince #products #sets #foreground #them #replace #whether #creatorsit039s #compelling #believe #could #silver #bullet #fix #complicated #problems #critical #industries #health #care #servicesbut #bring #used #anythingai #goal #efficiency #services #end #replacing #qualified #black #box #machines #copious #amounts #babysitting #underpaid #contract #gig #workersas #put #quotai #make #shittierquotbe #dubious #phrase #039super #intelligence039if #can039t #should #wary #claims #itquotsuperhuman #super #dangerous #turn #insofar #thinks #some #superfluousquot #saidin #quotcertain #domains #pattern #matching #scale #computers #quite #good #thatbut #superhuman #poem #notion #doing #science #hypequot #added #quotand #talk #about #airplanes #flyers #rulers #measurers #seems #only #space #comes #upquotthe #quotsuper #intelligencequot #general #intelligencemany #ceos #struggle #what #exactly #agi #essentially #ai039s #form #potentially #making #decisions #handling #tasksthere039s #still #evidence #anywhere #near #future #enabled #popularbuzzwordmany #futurelooking #statements #borrow #tropes #fictionboth #boosters #doomers #those #potential #harm #rely #scifi #scenariosthe #aipowered #futuristic #societythe #bemoan #where #robots #over #world #wipe #humanitythe #connecting #thread #unshakable #smarter #inevitablequotone #things #lot #discourse #fixed #question #fast #get #therequot #then #claim #particular #step #path #marketingit #helpful #able #itquotpart #popular #autonomous #functional #assistant #mean #fulfilling #promises #worldchanging #innovation #investorsplanning #utopia #dystopia #keeps #investors #forward #burn #admit #they039ll #carbon #emission #goalsfor #better #worse #fictionwhenever #someone #claiming #product #straight #movie #sign #approach #skepticism #goes #outputs #evaluatedone #easiest #ways #marketing #fluff #look #disclosing #operatesmany #won039t #tell #content #train #modelsbut #usually #disclose #does #data #sometimes #brag #stack #against #competitorsthat039s #start #typically #privacy #policiesone #top #complaints #concernsfrom #creators #trainedthere #many #lawsuits #alleged #copyright #infringement #concerns #bias #capacity #harmquotif #wanted #system #designed #move #rather #reproduce #oppressions #past #curating #dataquot #saidinstead #grabbing #quoteverything #wasn039t #nailed #internetquot #saidif #you039re #hearing #thing #statistic #highlights #its #effectivenesslike #other #researchers #called #finding #citation #red #flagquotanytime #selling #access #evaluated #thin #icequot #saidit #frustrating #disappointing #certain #information #were #developedbut #recognizing #holes #sales #pitch #deflate #though #informationfor #check #fullchatgpt #glossary #offapple
    How to Spot AI Hype and Avoid The AI Con, According to Two Experts
    "Artificial intelligence, if we're being frank, is a con: a bill of goods you are being sold to line someone's pockets."That is the heart of the argument that linguist Emily Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna make in their new book The AI Con. It's a useful guide for anyone whose life has intersected with technologies sold as artificial intelligence and anyone who's questioned their real usefulness, which is most of us. Bender is a professor at the University of Washington who was named one of Time magazine's most influential people in artificial intelligence, and Hanna is the director of research at the nonprofit Distributed AI Research Institute and a former member of the ethical AI team at Google.The explosion of ChatGPT in late 2022 kicked off a new hype cycle in AI. Hype, as the authors define it, is the "aggrandizement" of technology that you are convinced you need to buy or invest in "lest you miss out on entertainment or pleasure, monetary reward, return on investment, or market share." But it's not the first time, nor likely the last, that scholars, government leaders and regular people have been intrigued and worried by the idea of machine learning and AI.Bender and Hanna trace the roots of machine learning back to the 1950s, to when mathematician John McCarthy coined the term artificial intelligence. It was in an era when the United States was looking to fund projects that would help the country gain any kind of edge on the Soviets militarily, ideologically and technologically. "It didn't spring whole cloth out of Zeus's head or anything. This has a longer history," Hanna said in an interview with CNET. "It's certainly not the first hype cycle with, quote, unquote, AI."Today's hype cycle is propelled by the billions of dollars of venture capital investment into startups like OpenAI and the tech giants like Meta, Google and Microsoft pouring billions of dollars into AI research and development. The result is clear, with all the newest phones, laptops and software updates drenched in AI-washing. And there are no signs that AI research and development will slow down, thanks in part to a growing motivation to beat China in AI development. Not the first hype cycle indeed.Of course, generative AI in 2025 is much more advanced than the Eliza psychotherapy chatbot that first enraptured scientists in the 1970s. Today's business leaders and workers are inundated with hype, with a heavy dose of FOMO and seemingly complex but often misused jargon. Listening to tech leaders and AI enthusiasts, it might seem like AI will take your job to save your company money. But the authors argue that neither is wholly likely, which is one reason why it's important to recognize and break through the hype.So how do we recognize AI hype? These are a few telltale signs, according to Bender and Hanna, that we share below. The authors outline more questions to ask and strategies for AI hype busting in their book, which is out now in the US.Watch out for language that humanizes AIAnthropomorphizing, or the process of giving an inanimate object human-like characteristics or qualities, is a big part of building AI hype. An example of this kind of language can be found when AI companies say their chatbots can now "see" and "think."These can be useful comparisons when trying to describe the ability of new object-identifying AI programs or deep-reasoning AI models, but they can also be misleading. AI chatbots aren't capable of seeing of thinking because they don't have brains. Even the idea of neural nets, Hanna noted in our interview and in the book, is based on human understanding of neurons from the 1950s, not actually how neurons work, but it can fool us into believing there's a brain behind the machine.That belief is something we're predisposed to because of how we as humans process language. We're conditioned to imagine that there is a mind behind the text we see, even when we know it's generated by AI, Bender said. "We interpret language by developing a model in our minds of who the speaker was," Bender added.In these models, we use our knowledge of the person speaking to create meaning, not just using the meaning of the words they say. "So when we encounter synthetic text extruded from something like ChatGPT, we're going to do the same thing," Bender said. "And it is very hard to remind ourselves that the mind isn't there. It's just a construct that we have produced."The authors argue that part of why AI companies try to convince us their products are human-like is that this sets the foreground for them to convince us that AI can replace humans, whether it's at work or as creators. It's compelling for us to believe that AI could be the silver bullet fix to complicated problems in critical industries like health care and government services.But more often than not, the authors argue, AI isn't bring used to fix anything. AI is sold with the goal of efficiency, but AI services end up replacing qualified workers with black box machines that need copious amounts of babysitting from underpaid contract or gig workers. As Hanna put it in our interview, "AI is not going to take your job, but it will make your job shittier."Be dubious of the phrase 'super intelligence'If a human can't do something, you should be wary of claims that an AI can do it. "Superhuman intelligence, or super intelligence, is a very dangerous turn of phrase, insofar as it thinks that some technology is going to make humans superfluous," Hanna said. In "certain domains, like pattern matching at scale, computers are quite good at that. But if there's an idea that there's going to be a superhuman poem, or a superhuman notion of research or doing science, that is clear hype." Bender added, "And we don't talk about airplanes as superhuman flyers or rulers as superhuman measurers, it seems to be only in this AI space that that comes up."The idea of AI "super intelligence" comes up often when people talk about artificial general intelligence. Many CEOs struggle to define what exactly AGI is, but it's essentially AI's most advanced form, potentially capable of making decisions and handling complex tasks. There's still no evidence we're anywhere near a future enabled by AGI, but it's a popular buzzword.Many of these future-looking statements from AI leaders borrow tropes from science fiction. Both boosters and doomers — how Bender and Hanna describe AI enthusiasts and those worried about the potential for harm — rely on sci-fi scenarios. The boosters imagine an AI-powered futuristic society. The doomers bemoan a future where AI robots take over the world and wipe out humanity.The connecting thread, according to the authors, is an unshakable belief that AI is smarter than humans and inevitable. "One of the things that we see a lot in the discourse is this idea that the future is fixed, and it's just a question of how fast we get there," Bender said. "And then there's this claim that this particular technology is a step on that path, and it's all marketing. It is helpful to be able to see behind it."Part of why AI is so popular is that an autonomous functional AI assistant would mean AI companies are fulfilling their promises of world-changing innovation to their investors. Planning for that future — whether it's a utopia or dystopia — keeps investors looking forward as the companies burn through billions of dollars and admit they'll miss their carbon emission goals. For better or worse, life is not science fiction. Whenever you see someone claiming their AI product is straight out of a movie, it's a good sign to approach with skepticism. Ask what goes in and how outputs are evaluatedOne of the easiest ways to see through AI marketing fluff is to look and see whether the company is disclosing how it operates. Many AI companies won't tell you what content is used to train their models. But they usually disclose what the company does with your data and sometimes brag about how their models stack up against competitors. That's where you should start looking, typically in their privacy policies.One of the top complaints and concerns from creators is how AI models are trained. There are many lawsuits over alleged copyright infringement, and there are a lot of concerns over bias in AI chatbots and their capacity for harm. "If you wanted to create a system that is designed to move things forward rather than reproduce the oppressions of the past, you would have to start by curating your data," Bender said. Instead, AI companies are grabbing "everything that wasn't nailed down on the internet," Hanna said.If you're hearing about an AI product for the first time, one thing in particular to look out for is any kind of statistic that highlights its effectiveness. Like many other researchers, Bender and Hanna have called out that a finding with no citation is a red flag. "Anytime someone is selling you something but not giving you access to how it was evaluated, you are on thin ice," Bender said.It can be frustrating and disappointing when AI companies don't disclose certain information about how their AI products work and how they were developed. But recognizing those holes in their sales pitch can help deflate hype, even though it would be better to have the information. For more, check out our full ChatGPT glossary and how to turn off Apple Intelligence.
    المصدر: www.cnet.com
    #how #spot #hype #and #avoid #the #con #according #two #experts #quotartificial #intelligence #we039re #being #frank #bill #goods #you #are #sold #line #someone039s #pocketsquotthat #heart #argument #that #linguist #emily #bender #sociologist #alex #hannamake #their #new #bookthe #conit039s #useful #guide #for #anyone #whose #life #has #intersected #with #technologies #artificial #who039s #questioned #real #usefulness #which #most #usbender #professor #university #washington #who #was #named #one #time #magazine039s #influential #people #hanna #director #research #nonprofit #distributed #instituteand #former #member #ethical #team #googlethe #explosion #chatgpt #late #kicked #off #cycle #aihype #authors #define #quotaggrandizementquot #technology #convinced #need #buy #invest #quotlest #miss #out #entertainment #pleasure #monetary #reward #return #investment #market #sharequot #but #it039s #not #first #nor #likely #last #scholars #government #leaders #regular #have #been #intrigued #worried #idea #machine #learning #aibender #trace #roots #back #1950s #when #mathematician #john #mccarthy #coined #term #intelligenceit #era #united #states #looking #fund #projects #would #help #country #gain #any #kind #edge #soviets #militarily #ideologically #technologicallyquotit #didn039t #spring #whole #cloth #zeus039s #head #anythingthis #longer #historyquot #said #interview #cnetquotit039s #certainly #quote #unquote #aiquottoday039s #propelled #billions #dollars #venture #capital #into #startups #like #openai #tech #giants #meta #google #microsoft #pouring #developmentthe #result #clear #all #newest #phones #laptops #software #updates #drenched #aiwashingand #there #signs #development #will #slow #down #thanks #part #growing #motivation #beat #china #developmentnot #indeedof #course #generative #much #more #advanced #than #eliza #psychotherapy #chatbot #enraptured #scientists #1970stoday039s #business #workers #inundated #heavy #dose #fomo #seemingly #complex #often #misused #jargonlistening #enthusiasts #might #seem #take #your #job #save #company #moneybut #argue #neither #wholly #reason #why #important #recognize #break #through #hypeso #these #few #telltale #share #belowthe #outline #questions #ask #strategies #busting #book #now #uswatch #language #humanizes #aianthropomorphizing #process #giving #inanimate #object #humanlike #characteristics #qualities #big #building #hypean #example #this #can #found #companies #say #chatbots #quotseequot #quotthinkquotthese #comparisons #trying #describe #ability #objectidentifying #programs #deepreasoning #models #they #also #misleadingai #aren039t #capable #seeing #thinking #because #don039t #brainseven #neural #nets #noted #our #based #human #understanding #neurons #from #actually #work #fool #believing #there039s #brain #behind #machinethat #belief #something #predisposed #humans #languagewe039re #conditioned #imagine #mind #text #see #even #know #generated #saidquotwe #interpret #developing #model #minds #speaker #wasquot #addedin #use #knowledge #person #speaking #create #meaning #just #using #words #sayquotso #encounter #synthetic #extruded #going #same #thingquot #saidquotand #very #hard #remind #ourselves #isn039t #thereit039s #construct #producedquotthe #try #convince #products #sets #foreground #them #replace #whether #creatorsit039s #compelling #believe #could #silver #bullet #fix #complicated #problems #critical #industries #health #care #servicesbut #bring #used #anythingai #goal #efficiency #services #end #replacing #qualified #black #box #machines #copious #amounts #babysitting #underpaid #contract #gig #workersas #put #quotai #make #shittierquotbe #dubious #phrase #039super #intelligence039if #can039t #should #wary #claims #itquotsuperhuman #super #dangerous #turn #insofar #thinks #some #superfluousquot #saidin #quotcertain #domains #pattern #matching #scale #computers #quite #good #thatbut #superhuman #poem #notion #doing #science #hypequot #added #quotand #talk #about #airplanes #flyers #rulers #measurers #seems #only #space #comes #upquotthe #quotsuper #intelligencequot #general #intelligencemany #ceos #struggle #what #exactly #agi #essentially #ai039s #form #potentially #making #decisions #handling #tasksthere039s #still #evidence #anywhere #near #future #enabled #popularbuzzwordmany #futurelooking #statements #borrow #tropes #fictionboth #boosters #doomers #those #potential #harm #rely #scifi #scenariosthe #aipowered #futuristic #societythe #bemoan #where #robots #over #world #wipe #humanitythe #connecting #thread #unshakable #smarter #inevitablequotone #things #lot #discourse #fixed #question #fast #get #therequot #then #claim #particular #step #path #marketingit #helpful #able #itquotpart #popular #autonomous #functional #assistant #mean #fulfilling #promises #worldchanging #innovation #investorsplanning #utopia #dystopia #keeps #investors #forward #burn #admit #they039ll #carbon #emission #goalsfor #better #worse #fictionwhenever #someone #claiming #product #straight #movie #sign #approach #skepticism #goes #outputs #evaluatedone #easiest #ways #marketing #fluff #look #disclosing #operatesmany #won039t #tell #content #train #modelsbut #usually #disclose #does #data #sometimes #brag #stack #against #competitorsthat039s #start #typically #privacy #policiesone #top #complaints #concernsfrom #creators #trainedthere #many #lawsuits #alleged #copyright #infringement #concerns #bias #capacity #harmquotif #wanted #system #designed #move #rather #reproduce #oppressions #past #curating #dataquot #saidinstead #grabbing #quoteverything #wasn039t #nailed #internetquot #saidif #you039re #hearing #thing #statistic #highlights #its #effectivenesslike #other #researchers #called #finding #citation #red #flagquotanytime #selling #access #evaluated #thin #icequot #saidit #frustrating #disappointing #certain #information #were #developedbut #recognizing #holes #sales #pitch #deflate #though #informationfor #check #fullchatgpt #glossary #offapple
    WWW.CNET.COM
    How to Spot AI Hype and Avoid The AI Con, According to Two Experts
    "Artificial intelligence, if we're being frank, is a con: a bill of goods you are being sold to line someone's pockets."That is the heart of the argument that linguist Emily Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna make in their new book The AI Con. It's a useful guide for anyone whose life has intersected with technologies sold as artificial intelligence and anyone who's questioned their real usefulness, which is most of us. Bender is a professor at the University of Washington who was named one of Time magazine's most influential people in artificial intelligence, and Hanna is the director of research at the nonprofit Distributed AI Research Institute and a former member of the ethical AI team at Google.The explosion of ChatGPT in late 2022 kicked off a new hype cycle in AI. Hype, as the authors define it, is the "aggrandizement" of technology that you are convinced you need to buy or invest in "lest you miss out on entertainment or pleasure, monetary reward, return on investment, or market share." But it's not the first time, nor likely the last, that scholars, government leaders and regular people have been intrigued and worried by the idea of machine learning and AI.Bender and Hanna trace the roots of machine learning back to the 1950s, to when mathematician John McCarthy coined the term artificial intelligence. It was in an era when the United States was looking to fund projects that would help the country gain any kind of edge on the Soviets militarily, ideologically and technologically. "It didn't spring whole cloth out of Zeus's head or anything. This has a longer history," Hanna said in an interview with CNET. "It's certainly not the first hype cycle with, quote, unquote, AI."Today's hype cycle is propelled by the billions of dollars of venture capital investment into startups like OpenAI and the tech giants like Meta, Google and Microsoft pouring billions of dollars into AI research and development. The result is clear, with all the newest phones, laptops and software updates drenched in AI-washing. And there are no signs that AI research and development will slow down, thanks in part to a growing motivation to beat China in AI development. Not the first hype cycle indeed.Of course, generative AI in 2025 is much more advanced than the Eliza psychotherapy chatbot that first enraptured scientists in the 1970s. Today's business leaders and workers are inundated with hype, with a heavy dose of FOMO and seemingly complex but often misused jargon. Listening to tech leaders and AI enthusiasts, it might seem like AI will take your job to save your company money. But the authors argue that neither is wholly likely, which is one reason why it's important to recognize and break through the hype.So how do we recognize AI hype? These are a few telltale signs, according to Bender and Hanna, that we share below. The authors outline more questions to ask and strategies for AI hype busting in their book, which is out now in the US.Watch out for language that humanizes AIAnthropomorphizing, or the process of giving an inanimate object human-like characteristics or qualities, is a big part of building AI hype. An example of this kind of language can be found when AI companies say their chatbots can now "see" and "think."These can be useful comparisons when trying to describe the ability of new object-identifying AI programs or deep-reasoning AI models, but they can also be misleading. AI chatbots aren't capable of seeing of thinking because they don't have brains. Even the idea of neural nets, Hanna noted in our interview and in the book, is based on human understanding of neurons from the 1950s, not actually how neurons work, but it can fool us into believing there's a brain behind the machine.That belief is something we're predisposed to because of how we as humans process language. We're conditioned to imagine that there is a mind behind the text we see, even when we know it's generated by AI, Bender said. "We interpret language by developing a model in our minds of who the speaker was," Bender added.In these models, we use our knowledge of the person speaking to create meaning, not just using the meaning of the words they say. "So when we encounter synthetic text extruded from something like ChatGPT, we're going to do the same thing," Bender said. "And it is very hard to remind ourselves that the mind isn't there. It's just a construct that we have produced."The authors argue that part of why AI companies try to convince us their products are human-like is that this sets the foreground for them to convince us that AI can replace humans, whether it's at work or as creators. It's compelling for us to believe that AI could be the silver bullet fix to complicated problems in critical industries like health care and government services.But more often than not, the authors argue, AI isn't bring used to fix anything. AI is sold with the goal of efficiency, but AI services end up replacing qualified workers with black box machines that need copious amounts of babysitting from underpaid contract or gig workers. As Hanna put it in our interview, "AI is not going to take your job, but it will make your job shittier."Be dubious of the phrase 'super intelligence'If a human can't do something, you should be wary of claims that an AI can do it. "Superhuman intelligence, or super intelligence, is a very dangerous turn of phrase, insofar as it thinks that some technology is going to make humans superfluous," Hanna said. In "certain domains, like pattern matching at scale, computers are quite good at that. But if there's an idea that there's going to be a superhuman poem, or a superhuman notion of research or doing science, that is clear hype." Bender added, "And we don't talk about airplanes as superhuman flyers or rulers as superhuman measurers, it seems to be only in this AI space that that comes up."The idea of AI "super intelligence" comes up often when people talk about artificial general intelligence. Many CEOs struggle to define what exactly AGI is, but it's essentially AI's most advanced form, potentially capable of making decisions and handling complex tasks. There's still no evidence we're anywhere near a future enabled by AGI, but it's a popular buzzword.Many of these future-looking statements from AI leaders borrow tropes from science fiction. Both boosters and doomers — how Bender and Hanna describe AI enthusiasts and those worried about the potential for harm — rely on sci-fi scenarios. The boosters imagine an AI-powered futuristic society. The doomers bemoan a future where AI robots take over the world and wipe out humanity.The connecting thread, according to the authors, is an unshakable belief that AI is smarter than humans and inevitable. "One of the things that we see a lot in the discourse is this idea that the future is fixed, and it's just a question of how fast we get there," Bender said. "And then there's this claim that this particular technology is a step on that path, and it's all marketing. It is helpful to be able to see behind it."Part of why AI is so popular is that an autonomous functional AI assistant would mean AI companies are fulfilling their promises of world-changing innovation to their investors. Planning for that future — whether it's a utopia or dystopia — keeps investors looking forward as the companies burn through billions of dollars and admit they'll miss their carbon emission goals. For better or worse, life is not science fiction. Whenever you see someone claiming their AI product is straight out of a movie, it's a good sign to approach with skepticism. Ask what goes in and how outputs are evaluatedOne of the easiest ways to see through AI marketing fluff is to look and see whether the company is disclosing how it operates. Many AI companies won't tell you what content is used to train their models. But they usually disclose what the company does with your data and sometimes brag about how their models stack up against competitors. That's where you should start looking, typically in their privacy policies.One of the top complaints and concerns from creators is how AI models are trained. There are many lawsuits over alleged copyright infringement, and there are a lot of concerns over bias in AI chatbots and their capacity for harm. "If you wanted to create a system that is designed to move things forward rather than reproduce the oppressions of the past, you would have to start by curating your data," Bender said. Instead, AI companies are grabbing "everything that wasn't nailed down on the internet," Hanna said.If you're hearing about an AI product for the first time, one thing in particular to look out for is any kind of statistic that highlights its effectiveness. Like many other researchers, Bender and Hanna have called out that a finding with no citation is a red flag. "Anytime someone is selling you something but not giving you access to how it was evaluated, you are on thin ice," Bender said.It can be frustrating and disappointing when AI companies don't disclose certain information about how their AI products work and how they were developed. But recognizing those holes in their sales pitch can help deflate hype, even though it would be better to have the information. For more, check out our full ChatGPT glossary and how to turn off Apple Intelligence.
    0 Reacties 0 aandelen
  • #333;">Nintendo president reiterates US tariffs did not affect Switch 2 price

    Nintendo president reiterates US tariffs did not affect Switch 2 price
    Shuntaro Furukawa said higher price was due to manufacturing costs, consumer impressions, market conditions, and exchange rates
    Image credit: Nintendo
    News

    by Sophie McEvoy
    Staff Writer

    Published on May 13, 2025
    Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has made it clear that the US tariffs did not factor into the Switch 2's higher price point.
    In an earnings call Q&A published yesterday, Furukawa said the ¥49,980/$499.99/£395.99 price was determined by manufacturing costs, consumer impressions, market conditions, and exchange rates.
    "For software, in addition to the same factors, we also take into account rises in costs, due to aspects such as increased game file size and extended development periods, when determining price," he said.
    "Going forward, we will continue to consider appropriate prices for each title when it comes to software prices."
    "Hardware involves special factors such as tariffs, and we will take into account factors like those we just described, while conducting careful and repeated deliberations when determining price."
    Speaking of tariffs, Furukawa explained why they did not affect the base price of the Switch 2.
    "Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognise them as part of the cost and incorporate them into the price," he explained.
    "However, this year marks our first new dedicated video game system launch in eight years, so given our unique situation, our priority is to maintain the momentum of our platforms, which is extremely important for our dedicated video game platform business.
    "Consequently, if the assumptions on tariffs change, we will consider what kind of price adjustments would be appropriate, taking into account various factors such as the market conditions."
    The higher price of the Nintendo Switch 2 also factored into the firm's sales forecast for the console.
    As highlighted in its financial results for the full year, it expects hardware sales of 15 million and software sales of 45 million.
    Furukawa said the 15 million figure was set in an attempt to meet the "same level of sales" as the Switch did in its first ten months of sale (that being between March 2017 and December 2017), which was 10 million units.
    "The Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to the Switch, so we recognise that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption," he noted.
    "That being said, the Switch 2 can play compatible Switch software, so there is continuity between the platforms.
    "We are taking steps like building software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with the Switch."
    Image credit: Nintendo
    Last month, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said "longevity" was also a factor for the Switch 2's higher price point.
    "We want to make sure that this is a device that is approachable, that consumers will see as part of their overall entertainment experience and will understand that it has longevity to it," Bowser said.
    "And all of those factors really go into the consideration of the price."
    Furukawa emphasised that its "hardware production capacity" did not affect its forecast, and neither did "the tariff situation in the US or a possibility of a recession."
    "In order to achieve sales of 15 million units, we will need to manufacture the hardware in quantities greater than that," he reiterated.
    "Our first goal is to get off to the same start we did with the Switch, and we are working to strengthen our production capacity so we can respond flexibly to demand."
    When asked whether limits to production capacity affected the forecast, Furukawa confirmed there was no limit and that Nintendo continues "to strengthen [its] production capability."
    "Our plan is to continually produce and ship significant numbers of Switch 2 units going forward," he explained.
    "To achieve a certain level of sales, we believe it is necessary to maintain momentum throughout the year, not just at the start, so we set this figure as the number of our initial plan."
    As for its software forecast, Furukawa highlighted the "robust lineup" of titles from software publishers this time around compared to the Switch launch, and Switch 2 editions of Switch games.
    "This fiscal year, we will aim for the target we have set as the sales volume forecast, strengthen our production capacity to respond to recent increased demand, and focus on promoting sales in an effort to exceed our forecast," he added.
    "The momentum we have immediately after the Switch 2 launch is important, of course, but the challenge we face is how to sustain that momentum and carry it into the holiday season."
    #666;">المصدر: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/nintendo-president-reiterates-us-tariffs-did-not-affect-switch-2-price" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;">www.gamesindustry.biz
    #0066cc;">#nintendo #president #reiterates #tariffs #did #not #affect #switch #price #priceshuntaro #furukawa #said #higher #was #due #manufacturing #costs #consumer #impressions #market #conditions #and #exchange #ratesimage #credit #news #sophie #mcevoy #staff #writer #published #may #shuntaro #has #made #clear #that #the #factor #into #2039s #pointin #earnings #call #qampampa #yesterday #determined #ratesquotfor #software #addition #same #factors #also #take #account #rises #aspects #such #increased #game #file #size #extended #development #periods #when #determining #pricequot #saidquotgoing #forward #will #continue #consider #appropriate #prices #for #each #title #comes #pricesquotquothardware #involves #special #like #those #just #described #while #conducting #careful #repeated #deliberations #pricequotspeaking #explained #why #they #base #2quotour #basic #policy #any #country #region #are #imposed #recognise #them #part #cost #incorporate #explainedquothowever #this #year #marks #our #first #new #dedicated #video #system #launch #eight #years #given #unique #situation #priority #maintain #momentum #platforms #which #extremely #important #platform #businessquotconsequently #assumptions #change #what #kind #adjustments #would #taking #various #conditionsquotthe #factored #firm039s #sales #forecast #consoleas #highlighted #its #financial #results #full #expects #hardware #million #millionfurukawa #figure #set #attempt #meet #quotsame #level #salesquot #ten #months #sale #being #between #march #december #unitsquotthe #priced #relatively #high #compared #there #corresponding #challenges #early #adoptionquot #notedquotthat #can #play #compatible #continuity #platformsquotwe #steps #building #with #accelerate #adoption #fiscal #aiming #get #off #start #switchquotimage #nintendolast #month #america #doug #bowser #quotlongevityquot #pointquotwe #want #make #sure #device #approachable #consumers #see #their #overall #entertainment #experience #understand #longevity #itquot #saidquotand #all #really #consideration #pricequotfurukawa #emphasised #quothardware #production #capacityquot #neither #quotthe #tariff #possibility #recessionquotquotin #order #achieve #units #need #manufacture #quantities #greater #than #thatquot #reiteratedquotour #goal #working #strengthen #capacity #respond #flexibly #demandquotwhen #asked #whether #limits #affected #confirmed #limit #continues #quotto #capabilityquotquotour #plan #continually #produce #ship #significant #numbers #going #forwardquot #explainedquotto #certain #believe #necessary #throughout #number #initial #planquotas #quotrobust #lineupquot #titles #from #publishers #time #around #editions #gamesquotthis #aim #target #have #volume #recent #demand #focus #promoting #effort #exceed #forecastquot #addedquotthe #immediately #after #course #but #challenge #face #how #sustain #carry #holiday #seasonquot
    Nintendo president reiterates US tariffs did not affect Switch 2 price
    Nintendo president reiterates US tariffs did not affect Switch 2 price Shuntaro Furukawa said higher price was due to manufacturing costs, consumer impressions, market conditions, and exchange rates Image credit: Nintendo News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on May 13, 2025 Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has made it clear that the US tariffs did not factor into the Switch 2's higher price point. In an earnings call Q&A published yesterday, Furukawa said the ¥49,980/$499.99/£395.99 price was determined by manufacturing costs, consumer impressions, market conditions, and exchange rates. "For software, in addition to the same factors, we also take into account rises in costs, due to aspects such as increased game file size and extended development periods, when determining price," he said. "Going forward, we will continue to consider appropriate prices for each title when it comes to software prices." "Hardware involves special factors such as tariffs, and we will take into account factors like those we just described, while conducting careful and repeated deliberations when determining price." Speaking of tariffs, Furukawa explained why they did not affect the base price of the Switch 2. "Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognise them as part of the cost and incorporate them into the price," he explained. "However, this year marks our first new dedicated video game system launch in eight years, so given our unique situation, our priority is to maintain the momentum of our platforms, which is extremely important for our dedicated video game platform business. "Consequently, if the assumptions on tariffs change, we will consider what kind of price adjustments would be appropriate, taking into account various factors such as the market conditions." The higher price of the Nintendo Switch 2 also factored into the firm's sales forecast for the console. As highlighted in its financial results for the full year, it expects hardware sales of 15 million and software sales of 45 million. Furukawa said the 15 million figure was set in an attempt to meet the "same level of sales" as the Switch did in its first ten months of sale (that being between March 2017 and December 2017), which was 10 million units. "The Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to the Switch, so we recognise that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption," he noted. "That being said, the Switch 2 can play compatible Switch software, so there is continuity between the platforms. "We are taking steps like building software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with the Switch." Image credit: Nintendo Last month, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said "longevity" was also a factor for the Switch 2's higher price point. "We want to make sure that this is a device that is approachable, that consumers will see as part of their overall entertainment experience and will understand that it has longevity to it," Bowser said. "And all of those factors really go into the consideration of the price." Furukawa emphasised that its "hardware production capacity" did not affect its forecast, and neither did "the tariff situation in the US or a possibility of a recession." "In order to achieve sales of 15 million units, we will need to manufacture the hardware in quantities greater than that," he reiterated. "Our first goal is to get off to the same start we did with the Switch, and we are working to strengthen our production capacity so we can respond flexibly to demand." When asked whether limits to production capacity affected the forecast, Furukawa confirmed there was no limit and that Nintendo continues "to strengthen [its] production capability." "Our plan is to continually produce and ship significant numbers of Switch 2 units going forward," he explained. "To achieve a certain level of sales, we believe it is necessary to maintain momentum throughout the year, not just at the start, so we set this figure as the number of our initial plan." As for its software forecast, Furukawa highlighted the "robust lineup" of titles from software publishers this time around compared to the Switch launch, and Switch 2 editions of Switch games. "This fiscal year, we will aim for the target we have set as the sales volume forecast, strengthen our production capacity to respond to recent increased demand, and focus on promoting sales in an effort to exceed our forecast," he added. "The momentum we have immediately after the Switch 2 launch is important, of course, but the challenge we face is how to sustain that momentum and carry it into the holiday season."
    المصدر: www.gamesindustry.biz
    #nintendo #president #reiterates #tariffs #did #not #affect #switch #price #priceshuntaro #furukawa #said #higher #was #due #manufacturing #costs #consumer #impressions #market #conditions #and #exchange #ratesimage #credit #news #sophie #mcevoy #staff #writer #published #may #shuntaro #has #made #clear #that #the #factor #into #2039s #pointin #earnings #call #qampampa #yesterday #determined #ratesquotfor #software #addition #same #factors #also #take #account #rises #aspects #such #increased #game #file #size #extended #development #periods #when #determining #pricequot #saidquotgoing #forward #will #continue #consider #appropriate #prices #for #each #title #comes #pricesquotquothardware #involves #special #like #those #just #described #while #conducting #careful #repeated #deliberations #pricequotspeaking #explained #why #they #base #2quotour #basic #policy #any #country #region #are #imposed #recognise #them #part #cost #incorporate #explainedquothowever #this #year #marks #our #first #new #dedicated #video #system #launch #eight #years #given #unique #situation #priority #maintain #momentum #platforms #which #extremely #important #platform #businessquotconsequently #assumptions #change #what #kind #adjustments #would #taking #various #conditionsquotthe #factored #firm039s #sales #forecast #consoleas #highlighted #its #financial #results #full #expects #hardware #million #millionfurukawa #figure #set #attempt #meet #quotsame #level #salesquot #ten #months #sale #being #between #march #december #unitsquotthe #priced #relatively #high #compared #there #corresponding #challenges #early #adoptionquot #notedquotthat #can #play #compatible #continuity #platformsquotwe #steps #building #with #accelerate #adoption #fiscal #aiming #get #off #start #switchquotimage #nintendolast #month #america #doug #bowser #quotlongevityquot #pointquotwe #want #make #sure #device #approachable #consumers #see #their #overall #entertainment #experience #understand #longevity #itquot #saidquotand #all #really #consideration #pricequotfurukawa #emphasised #quothardware #production #capacityquot #neither #quotthe #tariff #possibility #recessionquotquotin #order #achieve #units #need #manufacture #quantities #greater #than #thatquot #reiteratedquotour #goal #working #strengthen #capacity #respond #flexibly #demandquotwhen #asked #whether #limits #affected #confirmed #limit #continues #quotto #capabilityquotquotour #plan #continually #produce #ship #significant #numbers #going #forwardquot #explainedquotto #certain #believe #necessary #throughout #number #initial #planquotas #quotrobust #lineupquot #titles #from #publishers #time #around #editions #gamesquotthis #aim #target #have #volume #recent #demand #focus #promoting #effort #exceed #forecastquot #addedquotthe #immediately #after #course #but #challenge #face #how #sustain #carry #holiday #seasonquot
    WWW.GAMESINDUSTRY.BIZ
    Nintendo president reiterates US tariffs did not affect Switch 2 price
    Nintendo president reiterates US tariffs did not affect Switch 2 price Shuntaro Furukawa said higher price was due to manufacturing costs, consumer impressions, market conditions, and exchange rates Image credit: Nintendo News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on May 13, 2025 Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has made it clear that the US tariffs did not factor into the Switch 2's higher price point. In an earnings call Q&A published yesterday, Furukawa said the ¥49,980/$499.99/£395.99 price was determined by manufacturing costs, consumer impressions, market conditions, and exchange rates. "For software, in addition to the same factors, we also take into account rises in costs, due to aspects such as increased game file size and extended development periods, when determining price," he said. "Going forward, we will continue to consider appropriate prices for each title when it comes to software prices." "Hardware involves special factors such as tariffs, and we will take into account factors like those we just described, while conducting careful and repeated deliberations when determining price." Speaking of tariffs, Furukawa explained why they did not affect the base price of the Switch 2. "Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognise them as part of the cost and incorporate them into the price," he explained. "However, this year marks our first new dedicated video game system launch in eight years, so given our unique situation, our priority is to maintain the momentum of our platforms, which is extremely important for our dedicated video game platform business. "Consequently, if the assumptions on tariffs change, we will consider what kind of price adjustments would be appropriate, taking into account various factors such as the market conditions." The higher price of the Nintendo Switch 2 also factored into the firm's sales forecast for the console. As highlighted in its financial results for the full year, it expects hardware sales of 15 million and software sales of 45 million. Furukawa said the 15 million figure was set in an attempt to meet the "same level of sales" as the Switch did in its first ten months of sale (that being between March 2017 and December 2017), which was 10 million units. "The Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to the Switch, so we recognise that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption," he noted. "That being said, the Switch 2 can play compatible Switch software, so there is continuity between the platforms. "We are taking steps like building software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with the Switch." Image credit: Nintendo Last month, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said "longevity" was also a factor for the Switch 2's higher price point. "We want to make sure that this is a device that is approachable, that consumers will see as part of their overall entertainment experience and will understand that it has longevity to it," Bowser said. "And all of those factors really go into the consideration of the price." Furukawa emphasised that its "hardware production capacity" did not affect its forecast, and neither did "the tariff situation in the US or a possibility of a recession." "In order to achieve sales of 15 million units, we will need to manufacture the hardware in quantities greater than that," he reiterated. "Our first goal is to get off to the same start we did with the Switch, and we are working to strengthen our production capacity so we can respond flexibly to demand." When asked whether limits to production capacity affected the forecast, Furukawa confirmed there was no limit and that Nintendo continues "to strengthen [its] production capability." "Our plan is to continually produce and ship significant numbers of Switch 2 units going forward," he explained. "To achieve a certain level of sales, we believe it is necessary to maintain momentum throughout the year, not just at the start, so we set this figure as the number of our initial plan." As for its software forecast, Furukawa highlighted the "robust lineup" of titles from software publishers this time around compared to the Switch launch, and Switch 2 editions of Switch games. "This fiscal year, we will aim for the target we have set as the sales volume forecast, strengthen our production capacity to respond to recent increased demand, and focus on promoting sales in an effort to exceed our forecast," he added. "The momentum we have immediately after the Switch 2 launch is important, of course, but the challenge we face is how to sustain that momentum and carry it into the holiday season."
    0 Reacties 0 aandelen