alt Hacker NewsThere's a stark difference between a table saw and an LLM that weakens this argument.
A table saw isn't a probabilistic device.
Replies
beAbU • yesterday at 7:05 PM
Anyone who has used a table saw before knows it's anything but probabilistic. Jus a little carelessness and you cut your thumb off.
As with LLMs, where careless use results in you dropping prod db or exposing user data.
But I, a woodworker, can immediately see if the piece of wood that came out of the table saw looks like it should.
Also I, a programmer, can immediately see whether the "probabilistic device" generated code that looks like it should.
Both just let me get to the same result faster with good enough quality for the situation.
I can grab a tape measure or calipers and examine the piece of wood I cut on the table saw and check if it has the correct measurements. I can also use automated tests and checks to see that the code produced looks as it should and acts as it should.
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck... Do we really need to care if the duck was generated by an AI?