Aneesh Sathe

In this video, Stephen Fry narrates Nick Cave’s letter, which argues that using ChatGPT as a shortcut to creativity is detrimental. Surprisingly, I found myself in agreement. Having been involved in the AI industry for over a decade, I’ve always viewed AI positively. As an entrepreneur who pitches AI to investors and customers, I liken AI to technologies like spreadsheets: they eliminate tedious tasks, but you still need to understand what you’re doing.

I use various contemporary AI tools daily for tasks ranging from creating ISO template documents to drafting reference letters. However, when I’ve tried using AI as a thinking partner or advisor, it has fallen short, primarily due to its inability to discern or have taste.

Expertise involves having taste – the ability to distinguish good from bad, one decision from another. We depend on experts and advisors not just for their knowledge, but for their ability to guide us optimally, sometimes even questioning our intended goals. They speak confidently amid uncertainty, drawing on their experience.

ChatGPT/LLMs and their generative counterparts exhibit confidence but, by design, lack real-world experience.

My agreement with the video’s sentiment stems not from an inherent issue with computational tools, but from the understanding that taste develops through experience, however imperfect. Just as we learn arithmetic before using calculators, and calculators before spreadsheets, we need to cultivate a new culture around these emerging tools.

In mission-critical fields like healthcare, balancing exploration and regulation is crucial. Over-regulation can hinder society from benefiting from innovative uses and discoveries, while a lack of regulation places undue risk on vulnerable populations, as seen in historical clinical trials

I envision a path where doctors integrate AI into their workflows with enthusiasm yet maintain high standards. Unlike drug development and other biotech fields, AI and its software can be corrected relatively easily. Creating a selective environment will drive quality.

Users who recognize what is good will elevate the collective ability to achieve excellence.