The wildest thing about the self-driving mode thing is that these same folks would call investment in public transportation (i.e. the original self-driving mode option) a waste of time and money because tech is only good if it only benefits you and not the greater good.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the scene from WALL-E where the people just ride around on their little floating scooters, let machines do everything for them, and stare, glassy-eyed and empty-brained, at screens. Back when the movie was made, it seemed a little over the top. But events since the movie was made make the filmmakers look pretty prescient...
Ya know, Sonny, back in my day in the 80s at the U of I, we had a little thing called PLATO which let you chat with folks all over the world. And I still don't trust the computers to make my decisions. Perhaps that's HAL's fault! <shakes cane angrily>
As someone who works for a company at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology, the Tesla drivers relying on the Full Self Driving are risking themselves and others on the road. It’s just not good enough yet.
I didn't realize how many people are driving Teslaas either, Will. It seems like the 1969 song "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans is coming to fruition.
There is so much about AI that reminds me of religion. Even the phrase you used—letting someone else take the wheel—reminds me of growing up in an evangelical Southern Baptist community. Folks let “Jesus take the wheel” for everything, and successfully avoided thinking for themselves. Maybe there have always been people who want to follow without thinking too hard. Now they just have something new to follow.
I agree with the vast majority of this, but I do actually look forward to the day when legitimate self-driving vehicles take over (note: Tesla's current FSD does not count). Taking a Waymo in SF both feels safer AND is a much smoother ride than a taxi or uber, and human independence introduces so many more risk factors. True self driving (Lidar sensors + cameras like Waymo, as opposed camera-only like Tesla) is going to revolutionize road and pedestrian safety, and I'll gladly sacrifice a bit of independence for that. My only fear is it pushing us further from improving public rail systems.
It occurs to me that by posting this, you just contributed to future Google (and generative AI sites like Chat GPT) queries returning wrong answers about the number of books you've authored, which is exactly why generative AI is fatally flawed and may end up ruining web search too.
Once upon a time, there was no reason for anyone to post blatantly (but mundanely) false information like "Will Leitch has authored 4 books." (Not to say mistakes didn't happen but they were relatively rare, since it doesn't take any more effort to post the correct number.)
Now, these generative AI sites do it routinely and are creating mountains of error-ridden new content for the old school web search sites to consume and link to, and for high school and college kids to use when writing essays. It's a recursive mess and I'm not sure how it gets cleaned up.
The wildest thing about the self-driving mode thing is that these same folks would call investment in public transportation (i.e. the original self-driving mode option) a waste of time and money because tech is only good if it only benefits you and not the greater good.
Man, this is a terrific point.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the scene from WALL-E where the people just ride around on their little floating scooters, let machines do everything for them, and stare, glassy-eyed and empty-brained, at screens. Back when the movie was made, it seemed a little over the top. But events since the movie was made make the filmmakers look pretty prescient...
That used to be the least realistic part of the movie for me. Now? Hmm.
Ya know, Sonny, back in my day in the 80s at the U of I, we had a little thing called PLATO which let you chat with folks all over the world. And I still don't trust the computers to make my decisions. Perhaps that's HAL's fault! <shakes cane angrily>
As someone who works for a company at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology, the Tesla drivers relying on the Full Self Driving are risking themselves and others on the road. It’s just not good enough yet.
This is ... not reassuring.
I didn't realize how many people are driving Teslaas either, Will. It seems like the 1969 song "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans is coming to fruition.
There is so much about AI that reminds me of religion. Even the phrase you used—letting someone else take the wheel—reminds me of growing up in an evangelical Southern Baptist community. Folks let “Jesus take the wheel” for everything, and successfully avoided thinking for themselves. Maybe there have always been people who want to follow without thinking too hard. Now they just have something new to follow.
I agree with the vast majority of this, but I do actually look forward to the day when legitimate self-driving vehicles take over (note: Tesla's current FSD does not count). Taking a Waymo in SF both feels safer AND is a much smoother ride than a taxi or uber, and human independence introduces so many more risk factors. True self driving (Lidar sensors + cameras like Waymo, as opposed camera-only like Tesla) is going to revolutionize road and pedestrian safety, and I'll gladly sacrifice a bit of independence for that. My only fear is it pushing us further from improving public rail systems.
It occurs to me that by posting this, you just contributed to future Google (and generative AI sites like Chat GPT) queries returning wrong answers about the number of books you've authored, which is exactly why generative AI is fatally flawed and may end up ruining web search too.
Once upon a time, there was no reason for anyone to post blatantly (but mundanely) false information like "Will Leitch has authored 4 books." (Not to say mistakes didn't happen but they were relatively rare, since it doesn't take any more effort to post the correct number.)
Now, these generative AI sites do it routinely and are creating mountains of error-ridden new content for the old school web search sites to consume and link to, and for high school and college kids to use when writing essays. It's a recursive mess and I'm not sure how it gets cleaned up.
After the election, I found strange solace in FJM’s album Pure Comedy.