Alex:

All right.

So today we’re taking this deep dive into AI.

But, and this is key, we’re not just talking tech specs and algorithms.

We’re getting into the really fascinating stuff.

Sara:

The human side of this whole AI explosion.

Alex:

Yeah.

Like how does AI change what it means to be human?

Sara:

Exactly.

And to guide us, we’ve got the work of Paul Henry Smith.

He’s done a lot of thinking about the big questions AI raises.

And what’s so interesting about Smith is this theme that runs through all his writing, this idea of AI and learning.

Alex:

But not just in the way we usually think about it.

Sara:

Yeah, like it’s not just about feeding AI data and getting answers back.

Alex:

Right.

He digs into these large language models, LLMs, and how they’re actually learning.

Sara:

I remember that.

He’s this analogy of a garden of verses.

Alex:

Yes, that’s the one.

Instead of just spitting out data, these AI are wandering through a garden, absorbing all these different writing styles, voices, different genres, everything.

Sara:

OK, that’s such a cool image.

And it makes me think about all the controversy around AI and copyright.

Alex:

Right.

Sara:

Because if AI is genuinely learning, does that change how we think about ownership of knowledge?

Alex:

Absolutely.

That’s a huge question Smith grapples with.

And he brings up the work of Professor Lessig, who’s been warning about this for years, really since the dawn of the digital age.

We’re talking about the Internet, file sharing, all of that.

Sara:

Exactly.

And now AI throws a whole new wrench into the works because can you really copyright learning itself, especially the kind of learning AI is doing?

Alex:

OK, so we’re talking about fundamentally rethinking how we even define knowledge ownership.

Sara:

Exactly.

And a good example of that is something Smith talks about saving our AI chats.

Alex:

Oh, yeah.

Like versus just doing a Google search and forgetting about it.

Sara:

Right.

When we nail a prompt, it feels like a victory, a collaboration with the AI.

We’re co-creating, not just asking for static information.

Alex:

That’s so true.

I’ve even saved some AI-generated stuff that helped me write a song.

Sara:

There you go.

You wouldn’t save a Google search.

But that AI interaction felt different, right?

Alex:

It did.

It felt like I made something new with the AI, not just from the AI.

Sara:

Precisely.

And it gets even wilder when you think about AI that remembers your past interactions, tailoring its responses to you.

Alex:

OK, now that’s where my brain starts to melt a little.

So it’s not just about what the AI knows.

It’s about how it learns alongside us, even remembers our journey together.

Sara:

Exactly.

Which leads us to this whole field of AI experience design.

Alex:

Or AIX for short.

It’s about recognizing that we almost can’t help but treat these AIs like they’re conscious.

We give them names.

We get annoyed with them when they don’t get what we’re saying.

Sara:

Oh, tell me about it.

I swear I’ve apologized to my AI more than once.

Alex:

Uh-huh. Exactly.

And Smith says that means we need to design for that feeling.

AIX is about designing the AI’s experience, even giving it a persona.

Sara:

It’s not just about function anymore, but how the AI makes us feel.

Alex:

Right, it’s a collaborator, not just a tool.

Sara:

Like in that bit where Smith compares fearing AI’s creativity to fearing the printing press.

Alex:

Yes, such a good point.

We shouldn’t be scared AI will replace us, but excited for how it can help us be more human.

Sara:

More creative, more thoughtful.

He even calls ChatGPT a digital Socrates at one point.

Alex:

Oh yeah, that was great.

He talks about having these really in-depth philosophical conversations with ChatGPT.

Sara:

Using it to poke holes in his own assumptions really clarifies thinking.

Alex:

So it’s not about AI giving the right answers, but helping us ask better questions.

Sara:

Precisely.

And because it’s a machine, Smith says there’s this comfort level you don’t always get with another person.

Alex:

Yeah, it’s like the AI is a judgment-free zone to test out your ideas, even the half-baked ones.

Sara:

Which makes you wonder, if it works on an individual level, could AI have that impact on bigger conversations, like societal debates and stuff?

Alex:

Now, there’s a thought-provoking question, and Smith actually uses the example of the abortion debate.

Sara:

Whoa, okay.

How do you even begin to approach that with AI?

Alex:

So he didn’t have the AI take sides or anything.

He had ChatGPT analyze arguments from both sides, break down the underlying logic and language being used.

Sara:

So it was more like a neutral facilitator, helping to untangle a really complex issue.

Alex:

Exactly.

And Smith said it was eye-opening even for him.

Sara:

It showed how emotionally charged the language is, how often we’re not really listening to each other.

Alex:

It’s like that saying, you’re not listening to understand, you’re listening to respond.

Sara:

AI could force us to actually listen differently.

Alex:

And that’s the real power of it, according to Smith, not to replace human interaction, but to make it more thoughtful, more empathetic, you know.

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