8 Comments
User's avatar
Kathleen's avatar

Another thoughtful article. Interesting how AI likes to embed itself into one's work.

Diamantino Almeida's avatar

Thank you Kathleen. It feels that is everyone, that we to work, needs it, or else. I believe we need to put more faith in us. Technology can truly help us. But not in this intrusive way.

Communication Intelligence's avatar

This is important for society to think deeply about and discuss together. I do feel we're being guided down a path that may not be in our collective best interest. Curiosity, however, is a strong pull. Societal expectations push hard.

I've engaged with AI for personal use more than professional and while it is highly interesting and occasionally beneficial, I find too often it is more narrow in understanding and responses than I imagined and as much "miss" as it is "hit" in helpfulness. I often depart feeling dissatisfied with the experience.

Plus, with any great advancement comes an intense increase in abuse of from nefarious people.

Diamantino Almeida's avatar

I cannot deny that technology has brought us a lot of advantages. But I can also see the devastation they are leaving behind. And now that a tool will be use to persuade us, perhaps manipulate us and turn us into simple consumers afraid to go outside. It's a concern, especially when children are on the mix. Thank you for your comment.

Communication Intelligence's avatar

It's important that society has reasonableness and someone looking out for reasonable dangers. Enjoyed the thoughtful article.

Diamantino Almeida's avatar

Thank you. We are forgetting that before being a consumer we are citizens, we cannot be passive and let others decide for us. We simply can't.

Thank you for your kind words.

Communication Intelligence's avatar

I second that!

The Cosmic Onion's avatar

Almeida’s essay is beautifully written but still half-asleep to the deeper architecture of control. He diagnoses the symptom (habitual dependence) without fully naming the parasite (those who weaponize convenience for control). His line — “not by the tools we use, but by the hands that control them” — is true, but the essay stops just before identifying whose hands those are.

Still, it’s one of the few pieces that understands the spiritual cost of automation. The wolf would say: friction is freedom; convenience is capture.