General Discussion

No. Have they over promised and under delivered? Yes.

Will it be a massive game changer? That is far more complex. As noted in this thread there are many people, probably millions, using the computer programs called AI. These, imo, are not true AI. Actual AI would be capable of acting completely independently of human control. The question then becomes how do we react to that?

Btw, the so-called technical leaps that have “increased productivity” are much less impactful than things from the early 1900’s. Things such as the widespread implementation of wastewater and water treatment. Improvements in agriculture that increased yields per acre. Telecommunications and transportation innovation. Advances in medicine including vaccines (fuck off RFK, Jr. you hack dilettante), improved diets, improved working conditions, improved housing, refrigeration, air conditioning, building codes etc.

One of the key issues that has had a major impact on the U.S. was the fact that our economy was basically standing alone astride the world at the end of WW2. Since the collapse of Bretton Woods the entire world has been engaged in a race to the bottom. AI won’t stop that. It will likely accelerate it. If people think jobs won’t be lost and people displaced by AI they are fooling themselves. Creative destruction of the past did create new technologies that allowed for the employment of massive numbers of people. The creative destruction of today and, probably, tomorrow will not result in the creation of new employment. Automation showed the beginnings of that type of creative destruction.

Social upheaval will not be fun to see or be a part of.