Hi all,
On 3/6/26 01:30, Ekaitz Zarraga wrote:
I believe, if we are going to collaborate we should care about each
other, and not only like "if you don't care about your PR don't expect
me to care" but in a deeper way: "what made you have to use AI?" "wasn't
documentation good enough?" "why don't you talk to me instead?"[^1]
FWIW, this is exactly how I interpreted the responses I got when I
created P.R.s with generated code. They were perhaps more sternly
voiced, but I felt welcomed, not turned away[^1].
Even the "if you don't care, I don't care" remarks (though not directly
addressed to me) didn't bother me. I disagree though, because the
remark made me realize that I used the LLMs exactly because I cared.
I do see a possibility where LLMs foster empathy, bring humans closer
together, and make us more free, exactly for all the reasons you stated;
but I also understand the doubts, since that future is not necessarily
the direction we are currently heading as society[^2].
LLMs as a technology are a tool, and we should guide its usage, not shun
it. Even writing[^3] was criticized because it poses a risk to oral
dissemination of knowledge and can thus be considered to be breaking
down human bonds [and it did!]. Yet we found a way to use writing
constructively, and we will find a way to use LLMs constructively.
Nevertheless, the discussion made me realize my own exploratory LLM use
might actually be harmful, because it bypassed human connections instead
of strengthening them. So the search continues.
Hugo
[^1] Me being Dutch perhaps warps my perception of the conversation.
I'm Dutch to the extend that early on I was put off by all the "WDYT"s,
as initially I incorrectly perceived them as insincere and almost
manipulative. I recommend "The Culture Map" by Erin Meyer, which was
eye opening to me as to how extreme the Dutch are. For the record: the
"WDYT"'s are a good thing; I'm slowly warming up to the idea of using
them myself.
[^2] Quoting "The machine stops" by E.M. Forster from 1909: "in theory
the Machine was still the creation and the implement of man. But in
practice all, save a few retrogrades, worshipped it as divine".
[^3] Even speech itself can be considered dangerous; it is easy to
interpret the book of Genesis in that frame.
