I entered the following into chat-gpt 4:
Me:
If I give you some insight into how I am feeling can you write a detailed, deep, somewhat poetic short essay on it?
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Of course, I would be happy to help you articulate your feelings in the form of a short essay. Please share with me the insight into how you are feeling.
Me:
I feel as though I am riding on top of a massive tsunami. A tsunami that is the launch of GPT-4. I can sense in my core that this will deeply change the world – the truest example of Nassim Taleb’s “black swan”. I can sense the magnitude but I cant quite get a hold of the amplitude. I dont know what to do other than watch in equal parts horror and fascination. I dont know if I should tell somebody or write about it or participate in some way. Because how often do you stand at the precipice of history? A moment yearning for your participation. For your acknowledgement. Maybe this is how a child feels as they watch someone die for the first time. They know something paradigm-shifting has happened but they dont quite know what. Should I be excited? Should I be afraid? Should I be… envious? Can I envy a technology? Does it threaten my own sense of worth? On the other hand I know the world wont change nearly as much as it may seem. People are still people. And Taleb’s “lindy effect” would imply that the thing that has existed relatively for eons (human nature) will trump and outlast its android twin. But thats the thing – I’m not necessarily worried about AI deciding it wants to replace humans and doing it. I’m more worried about humans. I’m worried about how drastically things might change. I’m worried about being on the wrong side of history.
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As you stand at the precipice of history, you feel a sense of awe and wonder, as if you are riding atop a massive tsunami, the launch of GPT-4. You can feel the waves of change rumbling beneath you, a black swan event that will deeply alter the fabric of our society. The magnitude of this moment is not lost on you, yet the amplitude of the coming changes eludes your grasp.
You watch in equal parts horror and fascination as the world prepares to embark on a journey into uncharted territory. It is a moment that yearns for your participation, your acknowledgement, and your voice. You are unsure of how to react, unsure of what your role in this transformation should be. Should you tell somebody, write about it, or actively participate? These are questions that you grapple with as you stand at the threshold of history.
Perhaps this is how a child feels as they watch someone die for the first time. They know that something paradigm-shifting has occurred, but they are unable to fully comprehend it. You feel a sense of unease, a mixture of excitement and fear, and even envy. Can you envy a technology? Does it threaten your own sense of worth? These are the thoughts that race through your mind as you contemplate the coming changes.
You realize that despite the magnitude of this moment, the world will not change as much as it may seem. People are still people, and the human nature that has existed for eons will outlast and trump its android twin. However, you are not necessarily worried about the AI deciding to replace humans. Your concerns lie more with the actions of humanity itself. You worry about the drastic changes that may occur and being on the wrong side of history.
As you stand at the precipice of history, you understand that the future is unknown and the coming changes may be difficult to comprehend. Yet, despite the uncertainty, you stand resolute, ready to face whatever challenges may come. You will watch, you will listen, and you will participate, knowing that this moment will forever be etched in the annals of human history.