Gemini had the fucking GALL to get in my email and summarize a 3-line email, taking up more space than the email did visually.
Hit the “thumbs down.” It’s like, what’s wrong??? Was our summary wrong? Were there offensive words? Thank you for helping us improve our AI tools :)
I selected “other.”
Text box popped up. Please elaborate!
Wrote in “I can fucking read” submit comment
Then had to spend several minutes torching all my settings with a flamethrower. Let me be clear: I’m (a lawyer) notoriously picky with my words FOR GOOD REASON (lawyering) so I overwhelmingly reject Gmail’s “helpful” little assistance. My privacy settings were set to “full paranoia” a little less than a year ago when I saw the writing on the wall and knew public defenders could become a target in the future. Better to lock it all down now.
Gemini had crept in there and turned ALL that shit back on. And showed itself by saying “Jane Doe says she’s so sorry for your loss and offers to reschedule for Thursday at 3” over an email from Jane Doe saying “I’m so sorry for your loss. We could reschedule for Thursday at 3?”
Why would I possibly need this. In what universe would I need this. I have eyes and a brain and a reading speed that twenty years ago was measured at 1500 wpm with full comprehension on dense scientific text. Furthermore! If I read a summary, I’m not reading what they actually wrote. If I’m not reading what they actually wrote, I’m not using my own judgment on the words and phrases that they used.
I literally don’t understand why this is helpful at all. This is just avoidance. Using LLMs to write is specifically Not Writing. Using LLMs to summarize is Not Reading. Using them to make art is Avoiding Making Art. Just READ! Just WRITE! I was not put on this fucking planet to not read and not write and not make art! Avoidance is an anxiety symptom and indulging it gives it more power.
If I had an AI to do my most dreaded task, answer the phone for clients, I wouldn’t use it. Because an AI cannot help them. An AI cannot hear the facts of their case, make appropriate noises, be thoughtful and insightful, and then give them a realistic estimate of what could happen in court. I am unique. I cannot be replaced by machine learning. I have style. I have expertise. I don’t hallucinate unless I’m having a really great Friday night and I’m off the clock.
When I need to outsource tasks from my own brain, I give them to people I know can do them and that I trust to do them right.
Fuck, it just sneaks up on you, doesn’t it?? Goddamn Gemini jumpscare right in my own fucking email
Its not even an anti AI post. Its just a rant so they can brag about themself
No it’s a rant post, I would be less subtle if I was just blowing up my own ego. The post would be titled “cool facts about me” and I would have gotten the wpm figure right.
Just want to note, though, that humans should brag about what makes them better than gen AI. I love the responses to this post that are just bragging.
You weren't subtle regardless.
Cool facts about me:
I have a great job
I can do a great New Zealand accent and a decent Aussie
I live my life embodying the energy of James Holden from the Expanse
Once an octopus fell in love with me
I worked for a celebrity notorious for a sex abuse related scandal and it was the most boring zero-event job of my life (before the scandal broke)
Once got a fanfic of mine mentioned on official Wired magazine content
You should brag about yourself too
I’m also not in this world to bring other people down
"I am a human with skills that cannot be replaced by a machine" is not bragging, by the way. This is literally the point the Luddites were making back in the 1800s (no, they weren't just anti-tech reactionaries). Whether it's AI or mass production, automation without skilled human oversight always results in worse quality goods and services and worse conditions for workers.
