AI: The New Invisible Hand?

Not so much Smith's Invisible Hand as it is Heidegger's "Das Man" lit up in twinkling lights and set on overdrive: all of the 'shoulds' and 'oughts' propounded by no one and everyone, all of the latest fashions and trends that everybody who is anybody pays attention to.. and 'Das Man' is no external force that besieges humanity. It is a mode of being of humanity itself.

Adam Smith said that individuals pursuing their self interest would meet the material needs of society. Calling that "the greater good" bastardizes his message. He was not Jen-Jacques Rousseau. To your other point. LLMs (this incarnation of "AI") actually are quite understandable by regular people, much like an automobile engine was to endless driveway mechanics in years gone by. You don't have to learn to code to develop a good understanding of what they actually do. Teaching my clients "be the ball" with the LLM is how I inoculate them from the rampant BS from all sides in this industry.

Can we say the invisible hands of a few puppeteering the many? Cognitive resilience is key to recognizing the gentle nudges, being critical of how algorithms are interacting with us and its intentions. Being aware of our own biases and behaviors and the choices we are given at the end of the day. If we don’t want to play their games, can we opt out ? Are darker psychology and network effects, too far gone that we are actually held hostage to these mechanisms?

Great points and I’m often saddened so many people don’t know about Smith’s book on Moral Sentiments that positions (my interpretation and short version) an opportunity for people to envision an invisible partner helping us ruminate on our actions even when nobody is around. It’s not about surveillance or solely moral vindication or judgement, but the opportunity to base our lives on loving others whether or not it helps us. A deep challenge for classic neoliberal economics is the belief that everyone acts at their deepest level for selfish purposes & their own gain. Yet as parents we learn a core reality that you not only would give your life for your kids but that you will actively be giving your life for your kids until you die. While people might say, “caring for your kids still means essentially caring for yourself” and can talk about survival of the fittest logic & try to back it up with some of Darwin’s theories etc, I choose to believe that where a parent or caregiver puts their life and love on the line for their kids (by birth, adopted, in their community) they are expressing a form of caregiving that may include, but moves beyond an economics of survival for one’s specific cult, community or caste. Love will win.

Ein spannender Gedanke: Künstliche Intelligenz k?nnte die treibende Kraft sein, die unsere Zukunft formt. Lassen Sie uns auf einen verantwortungsvollen Umgang mit dieser Technologie setzen!