this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2024
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Whenever AI is mentioned lots of people in the Linux space immediately react negatively. Creators like TheLinuxExperiment on YouTube always feel the need to add a disclaimer that "some people think AI is problematic" or something along those lines if an AI topic is discussed. I get that AI has many problems but at the same time the potential it has is immense, especially as an assistant on personal computers (just look at what "Apple Intelligence" seems to be capable of.) Gnome and other desktops need to start working on integrating FOSS AI models so that we don't become obsolete. Using an AI-less desktop may be akin to hand copying books after the printing press revolution. If you think of specific problems it is better to point them out and try think of solutions, not reject the technology as a whole.

TLDR: A lot of ludite sentiments around AI in Linux community.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 5 months ago

I get that AI has many problems but at the same time the potential it has is immense, especially as an assistant on personal computers

[Citation needed]

Gnome and other desktops need to start working on integrating FOSS AI models so that we don’t become obsolete.

And this mentality is exactly what AI sceptics criticise. The whole reason why the AI arms race is going on is because every company/organisation seems convinced that sci-fi like AI is right behind the corner, and the first one to get it will capture 100% of the market in their walled garden while everyone else fades into obscurity. They're all so obsessed with this that they don't see a problem with putting in charge a virtual dumbass that is constantly wrong.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago

I'd argue that if you exactly call the model you refer to by their actual name, you'll get much different reactions. For instance, expert systems have been around for a long while.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 5 months ago

just a historical factoid that a lot of people don't realize: the luddites weren't anti technology without reason. they were apprehensive about new technology that threatened their livelihoods, technology that threatened them with starvation and destitution in the pursuit of profit. i think the comparison with opposition to AI is pretty apt, in many cases, honestly.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (5 children)

I think we should be chasing all the trendy trends to become competitive with the competition. That's the only way to push those numbers up (that need to be pushed up). That's how a winner wins.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

personally im fine with machine learning, what I don't like is "AI", a new marketing buzzword that justifies every shitty corporate exec decision and insane company evaluations.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 5 months ago (1 children)

AI just requires a level oftrust all of these companies have not earned.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

It doesnt though, local models would be at the core of FOSS AI, and they dont require you to trust anyone with your data.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

free software communities

TheLinuxExperiment on YouTube

LOL

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Edit: actually, read zerakith's comment instead.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Ok. Tell me how A.I made your life better so far

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Using "AI" has been beneficial for example to generate image descriptions automatically, which were then used as alternative text on a website. This increased accessibility AND users were able to use full text search on these descriptions to find images faster. Same goes for stuff like classification of images, video and audio. I know of some applications in agriculture where object detection and classification etc. is used to optimize the usage of fertilizer and pesticides reducing costs and reducing environmental impact they cause. There are ofcourse many more examples like these but the point should be clear.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

As I mentioned in another comment we have an example of something like an ai-less desktop anology wise. gui-less installs. They are generally called server version of the distro and are used in datacenters but im 100% sure there are individuals out there running laptops with no gui. Im find with FOSS ai and there are LLM's licensed as such. That being said they are still problematic since the training requires large amounts of data that companies are not exactly strigent with collection.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

No, it is because people in the Linux community are usually a bit more tech-savvy than average and are aware that OpenAI/Microsoft is very likely breaking the law in how they collect data for training their AI.

We have seen that companies like OpenAI completely disregard the rights of the people who created this data that they use in their for-profit LLMs (like what they did to Scarlett Johansson), their rights to control whether the code/documentation/artwork is used in for-profit ventures, especially when stealing Creative Commons "Share Alike" licensed documentation, or GPL licensed code which can only be used if the code that reuses it is made public, which OpenAI and Microsoft does not do.

So OpenAI has deliberately conflated LLM technology with general intelligence (AGI) in order to hype their products, and so now their possibly illegal actions are also being associated with all AI. The anger toward AI is not directed at the technology itself, it is directed at companies like OpenAI who have tried to make their shitty brand synonymous with the technology.

And I haven't even yet mentioned:

  • how people are getting fired by companies who are replacing them with AI
  • or how it has been used to target civilians in war zones
  • or how deep fakes are being used to scam vulnerable people.

The technology could be used for good, especially in the Linux community, but lately there has been a surge of unethical (and sometimes outright criminal) uses of AI by some of the worlds wealthiest companies.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I'd call it realistic, not concerning.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago

i think firefox shows that ai can be used right, to help with accessibility.

i think the problem with ai is when companies use it as a buzzword instead of actual innovation by just cramming a bunch of ai into their product to do a bunch of niche things.

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