Simon WillisonFeb 25, 2023

Another note in favour of "electric bicycles for the mind" as an analogy for large language models: nobody should ride an electric bicycle without first learning how to use it

And how to ride it safely, both for themselves and for other people

Show threadSimon WillisonFeb 25, 2023

As @timbray points out this only works if learning to ride a regular bike is part of it - there's very little learning curve between a regular bike and an e-bike

So it's flawed as an analogy because that distinction distracts from it

Show threadDrew Breunig
@simon @timbray I think the jump from bike to car fits better, if only because nearly all users of cars don't understand how they work and the mechanisms are largely hidden.
Feb 25, 2023 at 1:28amWeb
Show threadSimon WillisonFeb 25, 2023
@dbreunig @timbray you need to pass a test and get a license to drive a car: you don't (currently) need to do that to ride an e-bike or use a large language model
Show threadDrew BreunigFeb 25, 2023
@simon @timbray Sure, and both a car and bike don't randomly turn or accelerate if you aren't operating with perfect clarity. I'm not sure the 'bicycle for the mind'-type metaphor maps cleanly here.