“Ideally, all of the new Figma AI tools will allow people who are newer to Figma to test ideas more easily while letting those who are more well versed in the app iterate more quickly, according to [Figma’s chief product officer].” — https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/26/24183730/figma-ai-tools-app-redesign-slides
that isn’t how this works
that isn’t how any of this works
“Even if you’d be doing work for free as a fresh designer-to-be, the back-and-forth with you is more messy and laborious than the AI designer who responds instantly and churns out 3 more variants with a click on a little sparkle icon.”
A really moving look at how automation inevitably leads to deskilling: https://sdw.space/figma-ai-and-lost-jobs/
“Nearly half (47%) of employees using AI say they have no idea how to achieve the productivity gains their employers expect, and 77% say these tools have actually decreased their productivity and added to their workload.” — https://www.upwork.com/research/ai-enhanced-work-models
the first three bullets in that executive summary certainly paint a picture
(the picture is on fire, to be clear)
@beep This piece was written by Upwork Research. It suggests that companies can boost AI productivity gains by hiring freelancers. IMO that makes the whole piece deeply sus.
To be clear, I also agree that the so-called productivity gains of AI are largely bullshit. but I also don't think hiring freelancers is going to solve the problem.
@beep Here's another article talking about that same phenomenon, only maybe at a higher level, where automation is just one of the techniques used to commodify workers: https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2024/react-electron-llms-labour-arbitrage/
It has given me a lot to chew on lately.
“Figma Disables AI App Design Tool After It Copied Apple’s Weather App” https://www.404media.co/figma-disables-ai-app-design-tool-after-it-copied-apples-weather-app/
@julientaq If you can get your hands on a copy of The Real World of Technology, I adore that book.
If you prefer listening, there’s an audio recording of the lectures that ultimately became the book, which I almost love *more* than the written version? (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/the-1989-cbc-massey-lectures-the-real-world-of-technology-1.2946845, https://archive.org/details/the-real-world-of-technology)
Technology has always been a part of human existence. Today though, says the experimental physicist, Ursula M. Franklin, technology has large-scale effects on culture itself. Ursula Franklin is an experimental physicist, University Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, a former board member of the National Research Council and the Science Council of Canada, and a companion of the Order...
also found out there is no french translation, I think i got my next projec.
thanks both of you!
@jeffsussna @julientaq @beep If you're in the US, Bookshop has it (and you can select an indie bookstore to benefit from your purchase): https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-real-world-of-technology-ursula-franklin/9995479?ean=9780887846366
Libraries also have it: https://search.worldcat.org/title/781487284?oclcNum=781487284
These are recordings of Ursula Franklin's public lectures that she made as part of the 1989 Massey Lectures series. The recordings were broadcast by the...
@edsu Yes! I’m a huge fan. https://ethanmarcotte.com/wrote/advice/
(And I know Deb is too, as she’s the person responsible for introducing myself and a few mutual friends to Franklin in the first place.)
@gedankenstuecke Oh my goodness, I’m so happy to hear that — if my little book introduces a few folks to Franklin’s writing, I’ll be happy. I really hope you like it.
(And thank you so much for reading my book, Bastian. That means a lot.)
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