The AI Longread

In his now famous piece still relevant piece from 2019 Sutton teaches us that the critical lesson from decades of AI research: leveraging computation through general methods is far more effective than incorporating human knowledge into AI systems . Original article here.

Today we're covering our first scientific paper. The authors present "Agentic Web," a comprehensive conceptual framework for the next phase of the internet, where autonomous AI agents act as primary intermediaries. Let us know how you like this format by emailing us, details at the end of the podcast! Article is here: Agentic Web: Weaving the Next Web with AI Agents Research paper is...

Ines Lee—a former economics professor who led content creation for productivity expert Ali Abdaal—reframes the challenge as opportunity: Instead of chasing AI engineering skills, become T-shaped with deep expertise in one area plus broad capabilities across related domains. Her three-phase framework shows exactly where humans add irreplaceable value, proving that markets reward relevance over cred...

In this article, Leon explains why he supports the right of educators and academics to refuse the use of artificial intelligence and why he believe some of the criticisms levelled against resistors are flawed. Original article here: The Right to Resist References from this article The Myth of Inevitable AI Publishers' Open Letter Against AI Artists and Writers Open Letter on AI Copyright Netherlan...

This article underscores the need for educational reform in the face of technological evolution. As we think about the role of education, we must consider how to cultivate a mindset of curiosity and resilience in our students—essential skills for navigating an uncertain future. Original article here: Learning to Learn References from this article Encouraging Metacognition in the Classroom | Poorvu...

Ethan Mollick shares examples about what GPT-5 gets right and what it just decides it's going to do without being asked. Despite its advancements, GPT-5 still requires human oversight to correct errors and validate results, emphasizing the need for collaborative interaction with AI. Original article: GPT-5: It Just Does Stuff References from this article Google Gemini 2.5 with Deep Think achie...

Lee's perspective on AI reframes the conversation from fear to practical management strategies. He argues that concerns about losing control over AI agents may be overstated. He suggests that with proper supervision, similar to how humans manage tasks and responsibilities, organizations can effectively integrate AI systems without ceding too much control. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, Le...

Recent studies show we can get better results by using generative AI. But to get them at scale, our organizations would have to change, and that's slow and difficult. genAI itself may change all that. Original article: https://www.wildworldofwork.org/p/ai-is-fast-automation-is-slow-can

Organizations are messy “garbage cans,” and our instinct is to tame that mess with handcrafted process and bespoke agents like Manus. The Bitter Lesson says the opposite often wins—systems trained for outcomes, scaled with compute, tend to outpace careful craft. References from this article Moving off the Map: How Knowledge of Organizational Operations Empowers and Alienates by Ruthanne Huising Th...

This study challenges the common assumption that better AI models alone will yield superior results, emphasizing the critical role of the human that's in the loop.  References from this article: In a large-scale experiment MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy Leading the AI-Driven Organization course Original article

Willis' article invites us to reconsider our relationship with artificial intelligence and challenges the notion that human intelligence is the ultimate standard. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/epilogue-philosophy-ai-john-willis-ha0ge/

Personal superintelligence is coming—will it empower people or replace them? Zuckerberg argues that superintelligence is within sight and should empower individuals—AI that knows your goals, lives in context-aware devices like glasses, and helps you create and connect. He contrasts this with a centralized push to automate all work, saying the coming decade will decide which path wins. He acknowled...

Ethan Mollick's article simplifies the complex landscape of AI tools, recommending three primary systems—Claude, Google’s Gemini, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT—for MOST users. He emphasizes the importance of understanding these tools' features and provides practical advice on selecting the right model, utilizing voice mode, and leveraging Deep Research capabilities to enhance productivity.

As we increasingly rely on AI in various aspects of our lives, it’s essential to remain vigilant about how we use these tools. The idea of 'thinking first' resonates deeply; it challenges us to be active participants in our learning and creativity, rather than passive consumers of information. I wonder how we can cultivate environments that foster this critical engagement with AI in both e...

In this episode, I read a two-part article series: " Most work is new work, long-term study of U.S. census data shows " and “ Does technology help or hurt employment?” by Peter Dizikes Link to the original articles: https://news.mit.edu/2024/most-work-is-new-work-us-census-data-shows-0401 https://news.mit.edu/2024/does-technology-help-or-hurt-employment-0401

In this episode, I read select parts from the newly released book Co-Intelligence by professor Ethan Mollick. Check out the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Co-Intelligence-Living-Working-Ethan-Mollick/dp/059371671X

In this episode, I read " You can't build a moat with AI " by Vikram Sreekanti and Joseph E. Gonzalez. Link to the original article: https://generatingconversation.substack.com/p/you-cant-build-a-moat-with-ai Sam Altman “Two strategies” conversation on 20VC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8T1O81W96Y&t=0s Same Altman “GPT4 kind of sucks” conversation with Lex Fridman: https://ww...

In this episode, I read " As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires " by BY DAVID BERREBY. Link to the original article: https://e360.yale.edu/features/artificial-intelligence-climate-energy-emissions US Energy Generation by Source: https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3

In this episode, I read "The Knowledge Economy Is Over. Welcome to the Allocation Economy" by Dan Shipper of every.to. Link to the original article: https://every.to/chain-of-thought/the-knowledge-economy-is-over-welcome-to-the-allocation-economy-e499dcbc-256c-4328-a9fd-765cbe3707f3

In this episode, I read "Innovation through Prompting - Democratizing Educational Technology and More" by Professor Ethan Mollick Link to original article: https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/innovation-through-prompting