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The relentless march of AI, fueled by large language models (LLMs) and diffusion models, demands a moment of reflection. Are we building tools that genuinely improve human lives, or are we merely chasing the next technological fad? While AI’s capabilities, particularly in language-based tasks, are undeniable, their true value hinges on their application. The current excitement around ‘symbol shufflers’ like LLMs risks eclipsing critical thinking and a focus on meaningful innovation. A recent discussion on Reddit highlighted this concern, questioning whether we’re becoming overly reliant on technology, losing sight of the human element. The core question remains: Are our technological pursuits enriching our lives or simply providing sophisticated distractions? The original Reddit post can be found here: https://old.reddit.com/r/artificial/comments/1o86gv9/maybe_its_time_to_stop_optimizing_everything_and/