Most active commenters
  • noncoml(3)

←back to thread

AI capex is so big that it's affecting economic statistics

(paulkedrosky.com)
338 points throw0101c | 11 comments | 18 Jul 25 19:59 UTC | HN request time: 1.199s | source | bottom
Show context
oytis ◴[18 Jul 25 20:21 UTC] No.44609364[source]▶
I just hope when (if) the hype is over, we can repurpose the capacities for something useful (e.g. drug discovery etc.)
replies(16): >>44609452 #>>44609461 #>>44609463 #>>44609471 #>>44609489 #>>44609580 #>>44609632 #>>44609635 #>>44609712 #>>44609785 #>>44609958 #>>44609979 #>>44610227 #>>44610522 #>>44610554 #>>44610755 #
baxtr ◴[18 Jul 25 21:00 UTC] No.44609785[source]▶
Re hype: Why is it that so many people are completely obsessed with replacing all developers and any other white-collar job? They seem to be totally convinced that this will happen. 100%

To me, this all sounds like an “end-of-the-world” nihilistic wet dream, and I don’t buy the hype.

Is it’s just me?

replies(18): >>44609829 #>>44609831 #>>44609835 #>>44609847 #>>44609848 #>>44609859 #>>44609865 #>>44609872 #>>44609891 #>>44609930 #>>44609963 #>>44610002 #>>44610117 #>>44610206 #>>44610410 #>>44610656 #>>44611004 #>>44612310 #
1. jdietrich ◴[18 Jul 25 21:39 UTC] No.44610117[source]▶
I'm afraid that this might sound flippant, but the answer to your question comes through another question - why were early 19th century industrialists obsessed with replacing textile workers? Replacing workers with machines is not a new phenomenon and we have gone through countless waves of social upheaval as a result of it. The debate we're currently having about AI has been rehearsed many, many times and there are few truly novel points being made.

If you want to understand our current moment, I would urge you to study that history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_Riots

replies(2): >>44610220 #>>44610337 #
2. noncoml ◴[18 Jul 25 21:52 UTC] No.44610220[source]▶
Programers are going to be replaced by AI in the same way accountants got replaced by VisiCalc and engineers by CAD and mathematicians by calculators and software like Mathematica
replies(2): >>44611585 #>>44617147 #
3. detourdog ◴[18 Jul 25 22:11 UTC] No.44610337[source]▶
We could produce more cloth in safer working conditions.
replies(1): >>44610488 #
4. blibble ◴[18 Jul 25 22:30 UTC] No.44610488[source]▶
there was nothing safe about those early machines

the AI parallel is quite apt actually

5. cheschire ◴[19 Jul 25 01:04 UTC] No.44611585[source]▶
You mean the part where you only need 5 people doing the job instead of 50?
replies(2): >>44611634 #>>44617348 #
6. Legend2440 ◴[19 Jul 25 01:13 UTC] No.44611634{3}[source]▶
And yet there are more engineers and accountants employed than ever.
replies(1): >>44612014 #
7. cheschire ◴[19 Jul 25 02:24 UTC] No.44612014{4}[source]▶
And yet not keeping pace with the overall population increase of America. There’s also more companies than ever before.
8. olddustytrail ◴[19 Jul 25 16:54 UTC] No.44617147[source]▶
> mathematicians by calculators

Calculators didn't replace mathematicians, they replaced Computers (as an occupation). To the point that most people don't even know it used to be a job for people.

I say calculators but there is a blurry line between early electronic computers and calculators. Portable electronic calculators also replaced the slide rule, around the late 1970s, which had been the instrument of choice for engineers for around 350 years!

replies(1): >>44617341 #
9. noncoml ◴[19 Jul 25 17:16 UTC] No.44617341{3}[source]▶
> Calculators didn't replace mathematicians, they replaced Computers

Imho you are underestimating the work of programmers if you compare them to “Computers”

replies(1): >>44617885 #
10. noncoml ◴[19 Jul 25 17:17 UTC] No.44617348{3}[source]▶
That’s not “replacing” programmers. More like increasing their productivity
11. olddustytrail ◴[19 Jul 25 18:12 UTC] No.44617885{4}[source]▶
I didn't mention programmers at all in my comment.

In fact the first programmers were mainly women because they came from a Computer background.