AI Will Replace Many Things, but It Will Never Replace Paper
We Still Use Paper
Paper has survived thousands of years and several technological revolutions, and the author argues it will outlast AI too. This isn't a Luddite stance: AI is here to stay, but its simplest form, chat, won't be the best interface for most tasks. Just as MS-DOS gave way to the word processor, we need to build more considered products around AI rather than throwing compute at every problem. Tools shape what we make, so choose the right one for the job.
Each prior technology has its own use and place. AI will enable and replace many things, but it'll never replace paper.
- k__
We love it in Germany.
- alecst
Most feel-good pieces on AI make the same mistake, which is looking at where the ball is right now and not where it's going. If progress were to halt today, this article would be relevant and I'd upvote it.
But since the richest and least-trustworthy people on earth are on track to make an ultraintelligent thinking machine, the risks I'm worried about are: killing most jobs, concentrating most wealth, and putting ourselves at risk of literal extinction. All I could think when reading this was, "this person really did not think this all the way through." I'm sorry.
- keiferski
Usually these posts are about the benefits of using paper for your memory, focus, etc.
But I think a blank page is even more valuable for its explicit emptiness. You are somewhat required to be original when using paper. Or at least use your imagination than when you’re using a computer and can easily browse the internet for inspiration, use a software program to evaluate your writing or make suggestions, and so on.
It feels to me like culture generally has been unoriginal and echoing itself for a few decades now, and I do wonder how much of that is related to our choice of tools.
- GuB-42
> This article was written with WriteMapper, a mind-mapping desktop app for thinking and writing available on macOS and Windows.
So, one of the things many people use paper for has been replaced.
Of course paper will never be replaced, I can't fold my computer into an airplane for instance. But it is still attacked from all sides. This article ironically is an example of replacing paper for note taking applications, it is also an example of not using paper for publishing, though that part is old hat now, to the point we are not even realizing it. Official documents turn towards digital signatures, e-readers are getting popular even to physical book fans, paper money use is declining, artists use tablets... It looks like paper as a support for writing is soon going to be like horses today, we still use horses, but only for very niche applications, and as sports/hobby.
I don't expect paper to be phased out as a material though, for packing, building, etc... It is cheap, environmentally friendly, and good for many applications.
- tirumaraiselvan
I think summary is:
1. Paper has not been replaced by any tech because its form still has unique use-cases
2. AI is stuck in "chat" form and not all use-cases can be solved with chat.
Hence "AI will never replace paper" ..... well anything can happen really isn't it? 1 and 2 are quite independent statements.