Skip to main content

AI is a tool, not an operator

 AI is a tool

 

Tools have functions — they do not have purpose. Operators provide purpose, goals and objectives that will identify the need, if any, for a particular tool’s functions. 

 

As an example, airplanes are tools — usually very effective tools. But the aircraft does not choose the crew, cargo, course, departure place or date nor the destination and arrival time. That is all set by operators. Sometimes the operators decide that a different tool is needed for the same outcome. For instance, Apple Inc. has decided to ship its products by cargo ship rather than by air. This is not a decision made by an aircraft nor a ship, but one made by operators.

 

AI is a tool. The hype around this tool becoming functional enough to provide purpose is meant to distract you from some operators' intentions. For instance, these are operators: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/13/open-philanthropy-funding-ai-policy-00121362

 

 

Operators determine outcomes and intentions, and call for particular functions to be utilized in support of particular purposes. The reasons for choosing any specific outcome or intention are the operator’s, not the tool’s. Any distraction from this important point plays into the serious consequences of how and why a particular tool is used in the way it is — without mediation or mitigation.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Design, Wicked Problems & Throwness

Horst Rittel is one of the seminal residents in my 'Berkeley Bubble'. Recently a friend and colleague sent me an article about ‘double-wickedproblems’ . I have become ever more aware of the increasing number of references to ‘wicked problems’ in all forms of media that seem to have missed Rittel’s deeper insights . This brought up the concern I have about the use and miss-use of the term ‘wicked problem’.  The term ‘wicked problem’, first introduced by Rittel in West Churchman’s seminars at Berkeley, was in reference to his conceptualization of the impossible challenge of dealing with significant social issues using traditional, rational, ‘problem solving’ methods. In most cases what are miss-diangnosed as ‘wicked problems’ are actually complex or complicated problems that can be simplified or broken into smaller 'tame' problems allowing for a straight forward 'problem solving' approach to be taken. This approach is believed by many to be capable...
8 comments
Read more

educational trends

  As I work on starting a new school in 'systemic design' I have discovered that the trends against serious professional and scholarly endeavors are quite real—an extension of the American anti-intellectualism that fuels some of the political agendas in the US nowadays—probably not the best time to try something like creating a new educational experience. Still... This substack by Ted Gioia is an example of some of the trends against investing in serious educational/professional ventures: https://lnkd.in/gxSbniAg The challenge is to find those who do not want to participate in these trends. Gioia and others claim that they are out there. I believe that to be true. The question is how to network with them. They do not, by definition, reside in echo chambers.
Post a Comment
Read more

Critical Systems Thinking

 Michal C Jackson is a leading scholar in systems thinking, particularly Critical Systems Thinking . This video is highly recommended for those who have a serious interest in systems thinking. Critical Systems Thinking Michael C Jackson   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyOUlTmwel8
Post a Comment
Read more