The Challenge with Generative AI: The Guide Dog Test
How technology and user experiences don’t match up.
Generative AI is so hot right now, and everyone thinks it will perform near miracles. My question for any feature driven by generative AI or something like a Large Language Model (LLM) is simple: Does it pass the Guide Dog Test?
Until more of these use cases can pass this test, I don’t think the field is taking off as quickly as we think it is.
The Guide Dog Test
As background, People Detection on the iPhone came out in Magnifier for blind users in the fall of 2020.
“Don’t replace my guide dog, my walking cane, or my ears.”
Blind people have established tools to navigate the world, so how can they trust some technology as a replace any of it? Guide dogs are well understood and trained, and there is not much benefit to replacing a tool they already know how to use.
So what?
“Here are a list of problems I can’t solve with my current tools; solve one of those.”
“I can’t stand in a line because I can’t tell when the line moves forward; the guide dog is not trained for that situation.”
Solution: People Detection
What if you were able to replace the Guide Dog?
To replace the guide dog would require technology that is as good or better than a guide dog. Seems feasible.
Do people steal dogs often from blind people? No.
Do people steal phones or technology often from blind people? Yes/No
Generally, blind people are aware their phones could get stolen, so they usually don’t have them out when navigating public streets. A guide dog is not something desirable to steal. Security is a bigger concern as a result.
Generative AI
There is a large potential for many features using generative AI from text to images to videos. I’m sure it will transform the world.
The killer use cases will pass the Guide Dog Test. These uses will be incredible and so natural, one will wonder how we lived without them.
If you’re working in the field, ask yourself if your feature passes the Guide Dog Test?
Will this feature greatly improve the status quo or only marginally?
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Further readings of mine:
My Second Book: Advanced Espresso
My First Book: Engineering Better Espresso
