Hello from Steyer,
- More grappling-focused than news-focused. While we do share headlines (I often start the call with a quick brief on something breaking from the days before the call that the group will likely find relevant or provoking), AI news round-ups are a dime a dozen now and not what this series of conversations functions as for attendees. Instead we talk practical use and non-use cases, thorny issues we’re thinking through, and what it feels like to be living and working through this time in history.
- Neither doomer nor booster. That dichotomy (“this tech is ultimately very bad for us” versus “this tech is ultimately very good for us”) doesn’t make for very productive conversations, and the group tends to dig in deeper. We talk about the tensions rising along with this world-shaking technology: safety (personal) vs. safety (national), privacy vs. accountability, innovation vs. social responsibility. Who controls the money? Who gets the money? Are we concerned about consolidation of power, or is that just how our markets work? Who is impacted the most by disruption, and how? We have ample room for differing takes, sometimes even from the same person in the same 45-minute session.
- Humans and their pets only, and mostly humans. I formally banned AI notetakers from joining the Teams call starting last week, not because I think these tools are bad or wrong, but because it’s been feeling dissonant to have notetakers present (without their humans) in this space that has been designed from the start to be about real humans connecting. And we’re talking about AI, often being somewhat vulnerable as we share our evolving perspectives and experiences; it seems to dampen discussion to have AI agents taking down our every word. Housepets can’t take notes and are not the main topic of discussion, so they’ll continue to be welcome to pop in as they care to.
If you’re interested in joining us, whether you’re just dropping in or looking for a regular space with thoughtful people thinking collectively about generative AI, please RSVP here and I’ll send you the invite/link. We’d be glad to have you!
Thanks,
Katelyn