Earlier this week, Google announced what it is calling a "breakthrough conversational technology": a language model along the lines of Open AI's GPT-3 that "can engage in a free-flowing way about a seemingly endless number of topics, an ability we think could unlock more natural ways of interacting with technology." This claim is framed with a weird and patronizing description of what "language" is, as though we needed a team of computer scientists to break it down for us: "Language is remarkably nuanced and adaptable. It can be literal or figurative, flowery or plain, inventive or informational. That versatility makes language one of humanity’s greatest tools ..." The tone reminds me of the classic first line of L.Ron Hubbard's
The roads are alive
The roads are alive
The roads are alive
Earlier this week, Google announced what it is calling a "breakthrough conversational technology": a language model along the lines of Open AI's GPT-3 that "can engage in a free-flowing way about a seemingly endless number of topics, an ability we think could unlock more natural ways of interacting with technology." This claim is framed with a weird and patronizing description of what "language" is, as though we needed a team of computer scientists to break it down for us: "Language is remarkably nuanced and adaptable. It can be literal or figurative, flowery or plain, inventive or informational. That versatility makes language one of humanity’s greatest tools ..." The tone reminds me of the classic first line of L.Ron Hubbard's