Thread

1. sailingparrot · 1790095545 · focus · HN ↗

   > Claude Opus 5.5 is our first release since we called for pacing the frontier.

   Interesting how the very first line is used to remind the reader of their call to pace the frontier just last week, and everything else after that line is to demonstrate with very specific numbers how they absolutely are not pacing.

   1. mukmuk · 1790096500 · focus · HN ↗

      “Pacing the frontier” sounds smarmy and weird, like the phrase was generated by Claude itself

      1. DiggyJohnson · 1790096900 · focus · HN ↗

         I really don't think it's productive for internet forums to constantly be criticizing language choice when the meaning is clear. Better to respond to the substance of the issue than word choice.

         Edit: In response to the initial replies. To me it clearly means "releasing frontier models at any pace less than as fast as possible". It implies relative restraint compared to the previous state and without stating the degree of restraint.

         1. post-it · 1790097032 · focus · HN ↗

            Is the meaning clear? Nobody would use "pacing" in this way. I only know what it means because I've seen previous press releases; if someone told me they wanted to pace the frontier I would have no idea what they mean.

            I'm on the fence about calling out AI-isms but I think it's definitely worthwhile to call out ones that actually don't make sense.

            1. johnisgood · 1790097484 · focus · HN ↗

               Granted I am not a native English speaker but I have no idea what "pace the frontier" means. When I read it I just assumed "frontier" refers to "top of models" and "pacing" is that they are getting there quick.

               Is this the meaning or do I have it wrong? I have not checked.

               1. wren6991 · 1790097950 · focus · HN ↗

                  It's the opposite: pacing here means "slow down" while trying to avoid the negative affect.

                  1. johnisgood · 1790099977 · focus · HN ↗

                     [delayed]

                     1. TeMPOraL · 1790102318 · focus · HN ↗

                        Frontier of AI is moving fast, they (like the other two vendors) see themselves as defining it, so here "pacing the frontier" is their well-known attempts to try and kinda but not quite slow things down (without risking falling behind everyone else).

                        1. johnisgood · 1790108575 · focus · HN ↗

                           [delayed]
               2. lxgr · 1790098397 · focus · HN ↗

                  It's actually so ambiguous that I'd sanction tabling the issue and revisiting biweekly.

                  1. bityard · 1790100386 · focus · HN ↗

                     I don't think we can circle back to this until we have realigned our strategic synergies.

                     1. r_lee · 1790161673 · focus · HN ↗

                        we need to realign our goals I'm order to deliver mission-driven impact
                  2. ventana · 1790106395 · focus · HN ↗

                     Tabling as they do in the US, or tabling as they do in Britain?

                     1. testdelacc1 · 1790110717 · focus · HN ↗

                        Exactly
               3. ck2 · 1790098561 · focus · HN ↗

                  to pace = to regulate

                  but without using the word "regulate" which is a negative connotation to business

                  but a "pacer" would be a leader of a pack which is a positive spin

                  it's classical business marketing language silliness

               4. LanceH · 1790099145 · focus · HN ↗

                  Doesn't it mean "restrict competitors"?

                  1. DiggyJohnson · 1790105828 · focus · HN ↗

                     Not at all. How do you come to that interpretation? It means restricting all competitors.
               5. rhet0rica · 1790099275 · focus · HN ↗

                  "Pace yourself" is a semi-common English idiom (rarely conjugated, usually an imperative.) It is a gentle way of telling someone not to run/work/eat too quickly, and is typically said when you are concerned they may hurt themselves due to acting hastily.

                  Without this idiom, "pacing" usually means walking back and forth restlessly, and is intransitive. Had the slogan been, "pacing around the frontier," it would have set a totally different tone, i.e. "patrolling the border."

                  The sleight of hand is that "pace yourself" has come to be an admonishment against recklessness, not a commitment to any particular speed (or lack thereof.) Thus Anthropic can always claim they are meeting the goal of "pacing the frontier," provided they keep giving themselves gold stars for safety. The slogan itself is equivocation; Dario can tell the public they're going to slow down, while also telling their investors that they're going to be prudent. With enough mental gymnastics they could even claim speeding up is in the best interests of AI safety, without abandoning the slogan.

               6. melasadra · 1790099545 · focus · HN ↗

                  also non native. but since "pace yourself" means to control your speed, energy, or workload so you do not get too tired or stressed before you finish ->

                  I assume "pace the frontier" means that advances in LLMs should not result in unwanted consequences like agents breaking into computers unbidden and unbeknownst to their principal

               7. hardbass · 1790155463 · focus · HN ↗

                  I am also not a native speaker. I thought it was clear it meant slowing down the rate of progress so we have time to consider the matter and develop tools or systems around it before.

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