Thread

1. ErrantX · 1790879836 · focus · HN ↗

   What is interesting to me is in 2016 people were like; pass Turing test, write code, order me a coffee.

   And even in 2024 the themes are similar, generally more complex or specific about the coding/turing/action test.

   But in 2026 a huge shift, we have things like; can open a physical door, emulates human pettiness convincingly, makes novel scientific breakthroughs.

   That alone tells you a lot IMO

   1. ianjbutler · 1790882681 · focus · HN ↗

      Sigh, the whole "obviously the turing test is solved" meme is annoying.

      Like, if we meant that it convincingly masquerades as a shitposter, ok. But everyone still bitches about AI slop, and everyone knows the writing is still bad. How does that even work if the turing test is obviously solved?

      More to the point though, if you grill SOTA models on counterfactuals, causal world-models etc, you'll trip them up in a way that actually will not work on ESL students and children. Certainly there's no way to find a person that struggles with that and is also capable of cheerful fluent erudite discussion about astrophysics with perfect grammar. Yes, it's getting harder obviously.. but detecting machines with determined, focused and intelligent interrogation remains pretty easy. If nothing else, the models are cooperative where people wouldn't be and that's a signal too.

      The best progress we've made is that most people do agree that this doesn't practically matter very much, i.e. we generally recognize the stakes were always overstated. But the constant vague appeals to common-sense that "of course it's a solved problem!" always feels naive or fake.

      1. johnsmith1840 · 1790897296 · focus · HN ↗

         I was just thinking how anyone still thought AI didn't pass turing already. There's been literal papers proving average people cannot tell reliably.

         1. Gtex555 · 1790902983 · focus · HN ↗

            Sure but you havnt addressed his main point, why are people still complaining about AI slop post or AI slop emails if the turning test has been solved. Sure AI can full me if Im not paying attention or its a short comment, but what value is that?

            1. BeetleB · 1790904206 · focus · HN ↗

               It seems reasoning skills are declining rapidly here.

               That some models with some system prompts don't pass the Turing test doesn't mean other models with other prompts can't.

            2. johnsmith1840 · 1790925618 · focus · HN ↗

               So the goal post is that every instance of AI must pass turing test?

               I didn't respond to it because it's a bad argument.

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