What qualifies as creativity?

That's the question I've been asking since seeing the below toot from Gary Marcus.

In a clip that starts a recent episode of the podcast Tech Won't Save Us, Sam Altman acknowledges generative AI's Achilles' heel: energy.

If you’ve found a certain tool or service that works for you and makes your life better, COOL—then keep using that thing. This advice applies to AI, Notion, Obsidian, TikTok, WHATEVER. If your tool of choice is a net benefit, then keep on keepin’ on.

But please don’t let peer pressure convince you that you ABSOLUTELY MUST try some new piece of shiny technology. (I’m thinking specifically about generative AI and large language models like ChatGPT, but the point also relates to non-AI tools).

Since OpenAI released ChatGPT to the masses, there’s plenty of debate over where and when AI can replace human workers.

Why should we create in the age of AI? How can we compete?

Today’s target for artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be artificial general intelligence (AGI), a technology that is competent in many areas, like humans. AI is most often highly-specialized, focusing on one area with a narrow set of tasks. This sort of AI is best-suited for specialized audiences needing specialized tasks. But with AGI, the prophets of AI can achieve their dream: AI for everyone, everywhere.

These days, people are worried about AI taking their jobs. And who can blame them, with all the stories circulating about AI's great accomplishments. (P.S. If you're looking for a counterweight to the hype, read Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust by Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis. And subscribe to Gary Marcus's Substack while you're at it.)