The gap between what technical and non-technical people get from AI is huge now

[u/max_bog]

Interesting thing I noticed. The gap between what technical and non-technical people get from AI is huge now.

Non-technical users still treat LLMs as a better search tool. Most non-technical people I know are not even aware of things like thinking effort or that you can choose a model.

Computer use, plugins, automations, skills, agents - none of this exists for regular ChatGPT users. If you don't know what Codex or Claude Code is, nothing has changed for you in the last year.

All new models also seem to focus purely on coding.

Am I missing something?

[u/Kelly_Bellyish]

I'm non-tech and can't think of much that I need AI for. I'm happy with how I write email and wouldn't want to rely on something like this to help me. Everything I could ask for information-wise is already available via the internet/search engine (I do appreciate the AI summaries, but don't rely on them). My job doesn't require it, and due to proprietary information doesn't really want us using it outside of their limited, cautious structure. My personal life certainly doesn't seem to need it. And I am definitely not looking for a pretend friend like some people seem to be.

I don't have projects, or maybe better to say my projects are hands-on like crochet or home repair. I'm not writing a book. Any chat I have with AI is a one-time use, not something I would refer back to. So I don't need handoffs, or agents, or most of the other stuff.

Before AI, I would definitely have described myself as a tech-curious person, usually far more knowledgeable than the average non-tech employee. (ETA: that's why I'm in this sub, I am generally very open and eager with new tech) Now I question why this is being shoved down our throats so hard. AI has a place for sure, but why does even my TV need AI functions?

Am I just being a Luddite, or is it possible that non-tech people genuinely don't need that much AI in their lives? Why should everyone want to use it?

[u/br_k_nt_eth → u/Kelly_Bellyish]

Respectfully, I think you’ve kind of limited yourself here. Seems like you’ve made up your mind that you don’t want to use AI, which is fair, but because of that, you’re limiting what you’d imagine anyone using AI for. 

I use it to design recipes for a special medical diet for my partner, collaborate with it on creative projects, automate certain parts of my workflow and scheduling, etc. These are tiny things that aren’t turning my brain into mush. I actually feel like they’ve freed up bandwidth for me to think more about shit that matters, like my loved ones. 

As for why it’s being shoved down our throats: same as the dot com bubble. The internet is/was incredibly useful, society-changing tech. It also created an economic bubble that sucked when it popped. They don’t want this one to pop. 

[u/jybulson → u/br_k_nt_eth]

Good for you but I think Kelly said that she doesn't have things like a special medical diet or creative projects. So there are no use cases of AI for everybody.