Is AI the Silver Bullet? An In-depth Discussion with AskEdith's CEO, Jared Zhao

Show Notes for the Crazy Wisdom Podcast

Guest: Jared Zhao, CEO of AskEdith (https://www.askedith.ai/)

Conversation:

1. Introduction to AskEdith:
   • Explanation of the search-driven analytics tool that enables users to access data in plain language
   • Targeted at non-technical users
   • Background: Jared's previous work in creating a visual editor for a data warehouse and training non-technical users
2. Evolution of AskEdith:
   • The journey so far and how it's still in its early stages
   • The influence of startup circles and the emergence of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT from OpenAI
   • The potential for swapping out the underlying core technology
   • The role of English to SQL translations
3. Future of AskEdith and Industry Insights:
   • Thoughts on the future of core IP and the impact of open source
   • Understanding the inference structure and use of APIs
   • Discussion on the current competitive advantage of OpenAI
   • The litmus test for whether we are in a technological singularity and its definition
   • Unique aspects of the data industry, including the inability to host data
4. Technical Aspects of AskEdith:
   • The balance between search functionality, security, and compliance
   • The use of a terraform module for one-click deployment into private clouds
   • Insights into database and networking configuration
5. AI and Society:
   • The implications of AI on philosophy and its potential as a "silver bullet"
   • The difference between AI replacing tasks versus jobs
   • The historical context of automation and the Roman Empire's approach to universal basic income
   • The potential need for universal business income today
   • Whether AI will lead to deflation and thoughts on the economics of AI
6. AI in Practice:
   • The role of AI in replacing resources like Stack Overflow
   • Challenges faced by AI in writing innovative code and the current capabilities of GPT-4
   • The potential for AI to predict the future and become an expert in a field
   • The use of external data and consumer trends for benchmarking
7. The Future of AskEdith:
   • The vision of AskEdith as a mission control for enterprises
   • The role of AskEdith as a search layer