Everyone says that the future is AI and we are getting close to the Singularity,
the moment where AI is no longer under human control, is less than a decade away—according to one AI expert.
Popular Mechanics has a big article on the Singularity and AI.
Yes, but Houston I Have a Problem with that.
Because the big thing that humans do is being creative, which I understand is making something out of nothing. I think of Rockefeller looking at those barrels of oil out back of the store he worked at. And don’t get me started on the physics revolution with relativity and quantum mechanics.
Now, when I have used ChatGPT and asked a question, what I get back is The Narrative, and if I try to nudge it away from The Narrative it doesn't budge. But I understand that the whole point of innovation is that it jumps the tracks of The Narrative.
Now, it could be that AI would be good at helping private equity guys in financing a bunch of startups, one of which jumps the tracks and changing the world. Or not, and I don't know.
What is interesting about Elon Musk and his SpaceX is that their development model is to build an idea, test it, and then improve it. Musk doesn't mind about failures; he understands that failure is the path to success.
And the way I see it most new things happen almost by accident. An inventor may be working on some problem and have an Aha moment about something else.
I'm at the Museum of History and Industry and up on the wall is
Innovation is creating a novel solution that seems obvious — in hindsight — to everyone else.
But can AI innovate? I’m sure it can develop technology, and improve existing processes. I suspect it could be good at software development. But can it make the jump and create “a novel solution that seems obvious — in hindsight — to everyone else”?
I don’t know.