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    ‘Overworked, underpaid’ humans train Google’s AI

    (www.theguardian.com)
    283 points Brajeshwar | 11 comments | 13 Sep 25 11:30 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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    cs702 ◴[13 Sep 25 11:58 UTC] No.45231366[source]▶
    The title is biased, blaming Google for mistreating people and implying that Google's AI isn't smart, but the OP is worth reading, because it gives readers a sense of the labor and cost involved in providing AI models with human feedback, the HF in RLHF, to ensure they behave in ways acceptable to human beings, more aligned with human expectations, values, and preferences.
    replies(6): >>45231394 #>>45231412 #>>45231441 #>>45231748 #>>45231773 #>>45233975 #
    1. rs186 ◴[13 Sep 25 12:16 UTC] No.45231441[source]▶
    > to ensure the AI models are more aligned with human values and preferences.

    to ensure the AI models are more aligned with Google's values and preferences.

    FTFY

    replies(2): >>45231582 #>>45231750 #
    2. falcor84 ◴[13 Sep 25 12:39 UTC] No.45231582[source]▶
    I'm a big fan of cyberpunk dystopian fiction, but I still can't quite understand what you're alluding to here. Can you give an example value that google align the AI with that you think isn't a positive human value?
    replies(3): >>45231607 #>>45231665 #>>45231984 #
    3. Ygg2 ◴[13 Sep 25 12:43 UTC] No.45231607[source]▶
    "Adtech is good. Adblockers are unnatural"
    replies(1): >>45231703 #
    4. ToucanLoucan ◴[13 Sep 25 12:50 UTC] No.45231665[source]▶
    Their entire business model? Making search results worse to juice page impressions? Every dark pattern they use to juice subscriptions like every other SaaS company? Brand lock-in for Android? Paying Apple for prominent placement of their search engine in iOS? Anti-competitive practices in the Play store? Taking a massive cut of Play Store revenue from people actually making software?
    replies(1): >>45231805 #
    5. smokel ◴[13 Sep 25 12:55 UTC] No.45231703{3}[source]▶
    Google Gemini 2.5 Pro actually has a quite nuanced reply when asked to consider this statement, including the following:

    > "Massive privacy invasion: The core of modern adtech runs on tracking your behavior across different websites and apps. It collects vast amounts of personal data to build a detailed profile about your interests, habits, location, and more, often without your full understanding or consent."

    replies(1): >>45232236 #
    6. add-sub-mul-div ◴[13 Sep 25 13:00 UTC] No.45231750[source]▶
    Yes, and one more tweak: the values of Google or anyone paying Google to deliver their marketing or political messaging.
    7. simonw ◴[13 Sep 25 13:08 UTC] No.45231805{3}[source]▶
    How does all of that affect the desired outputs for their LLMs?
    replies(1): >>45232193 #
    8. watwut ◴[13 Sep 25 13:35 UTC] No.45231984[source]▶
    Google likes it when it can show you more ads, it is not positive human value.

    It does not have to have anything ro do with cyberpunk. Corporations are not people, but if they were people, they would be powerful sociopaths. Their interests and anybody elses interests are not the same.

    9. scotty79 ◴[13 Sep 25 14:07 UTC] No.45232193{4}[source]▶
    You'll see once they figure it out.
    replies(1): >>45232446 #
    10. Ygg2 ◴[13 Sep 25 14:13 UTC] No.45232236{4}[source]▶
    You don't boil the frog instantly. You first lobotomize it, by gaining its trust. Then you turn up the heat. See how YouTube went from Ads are optional to Adblockers are immoral.
    11. jondwillis ◴[13 Sep 25 14:41 UTC] No.45232446{5}[source]▶
    Or, if they really figure it out, you’ll only feel it.