A program today at the Boston Bar Association started with a step backwards to try to educate lawyers (slow learners, all of us) about why Generative AI is different from “old” AI and reference to the hype that it is so revolutionary.

First, the history. Forgive the simplicity of how I present it but it worked for me.

We were told that the world of AI started with “rules-based” systems.  That meant that you put into a computer the answers to the questions.  Example: how much is 2+2?  The machine was programmed to follow the rule “if asked what is 2+2” you reply “4.”

The next phase involved extending to “machine learning.”  The machine got experienced and remembered the experiences.  The more things the machine was asked, the more answers it “learned.”

Next came better machine learning called  “deep learning.”  Same thing, more data=more answers.

The present phase of machine learning is what we have now: GAI or generative artificial intelligence. This includes Chatbox CPT, much in the news.  It is a so-called “large language model.”  It is prompted by various human inputs: voice, image, text query. Lots more data, better storage, faster computers that can handle it. The result is ability to answer more questions based on more information more quickly.

I have had several discussions, by the way, in the short time since I started these GAI posts, with people telling me that clearly the revolutionary nature of GAI is hyped and that I should calm down.  You might be interested to know that the very first sentence at the Bar Association program was “GAI will change the world more than anything in human history.”  At the very end, the closing thought was to the effect that the world is overstating the impact of GAI over the next two years and understating it over the next decade.

What will follow will be a series of focused shorter blogs based on discussion at the Bar Association as relate to what businesses should be doing and how lawyers should advise businesses, with related risk scenarios identified.  Oh yes–and some risk observations from the speaker from the Civil Liberties Union (disclosure–I am an ACLU member and once upon a time litigated pro bono for them.)