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The hidden cost of Google's AI defaults and the illusion of choice (arstechnica.com)

submitted 2 hours ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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Many people are hoping—nay, praying—that the potential AI bubble will burst soon.

But to hear Google tell it, generative AI is the future, and the company’s products have to change to keep up with the technical reality. As a result, Gemini is seeping into every nook and cranny of the Google ecosystem. Generative AI feeds on data, and Google has a lot of your data in products like Gmail and Drive. What does that mean for your privacy, and what happens if you don’t want Gemini peeking over your shoulder? Well, it’s kind of a mess.

The amount of data Gemini retains depends on how you access the AI, and opting out of data collection can mean running straight into so-called “dark patterns,” UI elements that work against the user’s interest.

This is the future?

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[–] Steve@communick.news 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

But implications are all I need.
It's either transformative or a fad.
It's already transformed media, education, advertising, politics, and more.
Do you think once the bubble pops, AI will just disappear like Pogs?
Even when the datacenters go dark, the tech will still be here, still be used. Eventually it will find its natural place in a new world.

I'm not saying it's not a bubble. It absolutely is. Everything you're saying is true. It will fall, and hard. I've put 10s of thousands of dollars on it being soon. But after the dust clears AI will still be used, and has already changed the world. How much more it'll change is the only question.

[–] XLE@piefed.social 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

You appear to have missed the part where I asked you to be concrete and justify whether it's worth the investment.

Vague talk of "change" and "transformation" mean nothing. Sure, it "changed" the level of poison in the atmosphere over communities in Tennessee.

[–] Steve@communick.news 1 points 38 minutes ago* (last edited 35 minutes ago) (1 children)

It's not worth this level of investment. That's what a bubble is. We agree on that.

But long after the bubble pops. 20 years from now. Will AI disappear? Will it be a joke people tell? Or will it be as important to the world as the internet is today?

I'm saying it's both a bubble, and an important lasting technology. It's not a binary choice.

[–] XLE@piefed.social 1 points 35 minutes ago (1 children)

I see you saying it's important, but you haven't provided one reason why.

[–] Steve@communick.news 1 points 15 minutes ago

Well I use AI every day in Photoshop and Lightroom. AI tools are common and extremely useful in all sorts of media production already.

Science is using it on modeling of protein folding, and large dataset analysis. I personally know one person using AI tools to analyze fMRI data in a study.

News media uses it in formulaic articles in finance and sports. They've been doing that with specialized software for a decade or more already.

Those are just a few places where it is a useful productive tool. I'm sure there are many more. Is that what you're asking for?