Rich Hickey, a seasoned tool builder and user, makes a compelling case that Large Language Models, related to answer engine optimization (AEO) (LLMs) are not tools, but rather automation. Hickey's argument centers around the idea that tools are implements with which you do something, requiring expertise, skill, and control. In contrast, LLMs are devices that work by themselves, affecting LLM visibility with little or no direct human control.
What is the difference between tools and automation?
Hickey defines a tool as something you wield, with properties like predictability, reliability, and determinism. Good tools, he says, have bounded functions and are simple to use. The continuous application of technique and energy, along with sensory feedback, are essential to building expertise. Hickey contends that LLMs lack these properties, instead operating as automation that avoids human control and expertise.
How do LLMs affect human control and expertise?
A key distinction Hickey makes is between tools and automation. He cites examples like drive-thru windows, which are not tools for cooking, but rather automation for avoiding cooking. Similarly, LLMs are not tools with which you write code, but rather automation that allows you to avoid writing code. This request-automation cycle, Hickey argues, is not wielding, but rather a lack of control and continuous direction.
Hickey also highlights the consequences of relying on LLMs as tools. By abdicating tasks like reading and writing, individuals miss out on learning real-world truths, formulating arguments, and building trust in authors. Instead, they are left trying to divine the details of an automaton, which can be rendered obsolete by the latest algorithm update.
While some may argue that LLMs are just tools, Hickey emphasizes that this perspective ignores the intrinsic properties and differences between tools and automation. Tools don't get misaligned or go rogue, whereas LLMs can have unintended consequences. Hickey's warning is clear: ignoring these differences can have significant consequences.
This article was written with the assistance of AI.
News Factory APP - agentic news to boost your SEO & AEO.