I explore if AI has emotions and whether it can do emotional work. Writers and artists are fond of reiterating that since AI cannot feel emotions, its output will not feel human too. But how true is this claim? Are machines really breaching the final frontier of human cognition?
How is AI impacting journalism?
I track how various news organizations are creating guidelines for AI’s use in newsrooms.
Why GenAI will not replace Human Writers
I argue why GenAI cannot replace human writers. GenAI is not magic, it’s a probabilistic sequence predictor. It is trained on data to predict what is most likely to follow a set of words (prompt). In contrast, human writing is thinking on paper.
How Social Media Changed Politics
I analyze how social media has changed politics and political campaigns. I argue that while social media has enhanced the freedom of expression, it has also created ideological echo-chambers. I borrow ideas from Jonathan Haidt, Neil Postman and Richard Hanania to build my case.
How re-imagining past shapes your strategic narrative
I talk about the importance of creating a strategic narrative that stands the test of time. Many opportunities to chalk a new path are lost due to a narrow, fixated perspective of the past. The past needs to be infused with a fresh meaning for a new future to manifest. The strategic narrative is the prism businesses use to impose continuity upon its actions throughout its trajectory. It’s a north star that stays relevant amid changing market conditions and technology landscape.
Why Firms Are Important
I explore why firms continue to be important in the gig era. Many ask: Why hire employees when you can get the work done by vendors? I respond: If this were such a cost-effective way of getting quality work done, why isn’t this more widespread? I borrow from Ronald Coase’s “The Nature of the Firm” to seek answers.
The Medium is the Metaphor
I explore why writing is fundamentally different from the video-audio format. To this end, I borrow extensively from Neil Postman’s works, particularly, “Amusing Ourselves to Death”. I argue, with examples, why the medium is the metaphor.
How AI impacts Copyright Laws
AI is coming for us. It has already come for celebrities and institutions. Consider these three instances. Case #1: In May 2024, ChatGPT launched an AI voice assistant that sounded like a human. It ended up upsetting actress Scarlett Johansson. Why? The voice sounded eerily similar to her own. In defense, OpenAI claimed it was... Continue Reading →
Are You Addicted to Social Media?
I talk about social media addiction, and how it affects our personal lives. We joined Facebook to connect with long-lost friends across the globe. Only to lose the ability to hold uninterrupted conversations with friends right in front of us. I dig into the perils of phone-based childhood and what young parents can do about it. Also, I briefly share my recent experiments to wean myself away from social media.
How Frugality fuels Creativity
I go down the memory lane, to the 90s where technology was still on the fringes of life. I revisit the days when we exchanged letters, where photos were taken to mark an important event. And, then, I ask whether the abundance of technology has cheapened what ideally should be treasured.
Musings by Madhav 