Source URL: https://simonwillison.net/2024/Nov/24/ethan-mollick/#atom-everything
Source: Simon Willison’s Weblog
Title: Quoting Ethan Mollick
Feedly Summary: Often, you are told to do this by treating AI like an intern. In retrospect, however, I think that this particular analogy ends up making people use AI in very constrained ways. To put it bluntly, any recent frontier model (by which I mean Claude 3.5, ChatGPT-4o, Grok 2, Llama 3.1, or Gemini Pro 1.5) is likely much better than any intern you would hire, but also weirder.
Instead, let me propose a new analogy: treat AI like an infinitely patient new coworker who forgets everything you tell them each new conversation, one that comes highly recommended but whose actual abilities are not that clear.
— Ethan Mollick
Tags: llms, ai, ethan-mollick, generative-ai
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text presents a novel analogy for understanding advanced AI models by comparing them to an infinitely patient coworker rather than an intern. This perspective highlights the unique capabilities and limitations of AI, particularly in the context of LLMs, which is relevant for professionals navigating AI technologies.
Detailed Description: The excerpt emphasizes rethinking how we view and utilize AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), in professional settings. Rather than limiting AI potential by likening it to an intern—who may have human-like limits in diligence and knowledge retention—the author proposes treating AI as a “new coworker.” This perspective invites users to appreciate the distinct advantages and challenges presented by AI.
Key Points:
– **Misleading Intern Analogy**: The comparison of AI systems to interns may lead to underutilization or misinterpretation of their capabilities.
– **Advanced Capabilities of AI**: The mentioned frontier models (e.g., Claude 3.5, ChatGPT-4o) possess cognitive abilities surpassing those of a human intern, united with the quirkiness inherent to AI.
– **The Infinite Patience Analogy**: Viewing AI as an infinitely patient coworker emphasizes that while it can engage in extensive conversations, it lacks memory of prior interactions. This characteristic is crucial for understanding how to work effectively with AI.
– **Recommendation for Utilization**: Professionals should approach AI with a mindset that embraces its unique attributes, rather than confining it within conventional expectations and comparisons to human roles.
This shift in perspective could inform best practices in utilizing AI for tasks traditionally performed by humans while acknowledging the limitations that come with the technology. Understanding these dynamics is vital for ensuring optimal applications in AI security and compliance contexts.