David Beers
Rolling my eyes at the phrase “prompt engineering.” I like the definition of engineering given by The American Engineers’ Council for Professional Development. All of the emphasized phrases are entirely absent from any usage of #LLM or most AI models for that matter. If these elements of engineering were present in modern AI work the models would be a lot safer and less extractive.
Dec 15, 2023 at 4:53pmWeb
Show threadTimnit Gebru (she/her).Dec 16, 2023
@davidbeers I am going to use this definition in our upcoming paper.
Show threadDaniel GibsonDec 16, 2023
@timnitGebru @davidbeers
I guess "prompt engineering" is more like "social engineering"
Show threadmhoyeDec 16, 2023

@davidbeers I think about this a lot.

("Analysis of Nonlinear Control Systems", Dustan Graham and Duane McRuer, 1964)

Show threadpelavarreDec 16, 2023

@mhoye @davidbeers

> if it is built it will have no surprises left for you

> full cognizance of design

> to forecast behavior under specific operating conditions

forty years ago, MIT/ Sherry Turkle’s “The Second Self “ called out the main factor dividing computer engineers into two factions: it is this question of who loves and who scorns surprise

to move fast and break things? love and invite surprises

to make it safer to fly than drive? scorn and shun surprises

how often does Hello World fail? well more than a dozen times per million tries

Show threadokanogen VerminEnemyFromWithinDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers
Another good source is the National Society of Professional Engineers "Code of Ethics" why are there no #AI or #LLM code of ethics?
https://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics
Code of Ethics | National Society of Professional Engineers

NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers Download: NSPE Code of Ethics Download: The NSPE Ethics Reference Guide for a list of all cases through 2019. Preamble Engineering is an important and learned profession. As members of this profession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of

Show threadMatunosDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers for the most part, "software engineering" does not meet that definition
Show threadjoeziehmerDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers “It was a practice of prompt engineering and miscommunication which led to the Hindenburg disaster.” From my history teacher in freshman year.
Show threadBenjamin ReedDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers “prompt divining”
Show threadTootko TootarovDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers @AlSweigart I interpret the work of actual engineers who use boilerplate from ages ago and address standards that have been obviated and in so doing I apply the most current and stringent standard. In no case has it been impossible to call the engineer for clarification of what needed to be addressed, and otherwise I would not use what they specified for anything serious at all.
Show threadEvan HarmonDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers These are great goals, but 'full cognizance of their design' has not been feasible for a long time. It's a matter of complexity, and not just recent digital complexity. E.g, Thomas Thwaites' http://www.thetoasterproject.org/ - he failed to be able to build a toaster from scratch because even toasters are far too complicated and layered to build on your own. Does anyone have full cognizance of their car? But we trust them with our lives.
The Toaster Project

Show threadhappyborgDec 16, 2023
@davidbeers most of the vocabulary around #LLMs is dangerously misleading, probably hype based PR from vested interests.