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>I find it easy to envision a world, maybe 50 years from now, in which the very concept of "truth in advertising" is viewed as a lost, idyllic fantasy. Something people are nostalgic for, but feel powerless to regain.

Alternatively, perhaps we'll see models fine-tuned or steer-able towards accuracy that customers can themselves use to get a more honest view on what the product would look like in person.

The funny thing about these tools is that they can go either direction, but it sure seems like there's the potential for it empower individuals and shift the balance. Clothing sales shifting online has given sellers the advantage/ease to deceive without much customers can do other than hope the reviews aren't manipulated (they are) even before AI. Maybe this can turn things around as people start to shop with personal agents.

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> Alternatively, perhaps we'll see models fine-tuned or steer-able towards accuracy that customers can themselves use to get a more honest view on what the product would look like in person.

we live in a world where the norm is to use filters on pictures of your own face to lie about how you look, imagine thinking than people actually care about truthness

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That's a fun thought. A gradual division between "institutional models" trained to have capabilities that solve for the needs of corporations, vs. "personal models" trained to have capabilities that solve for the needs of individuals.

I wonder what kind of capabilities those might be?

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> I find it easy to envision a world, maybe 50 years from now, in which the very concept of "truth in advertising" is viewed as a lost, idyllic fantasy.

From what I hear (fact-check, etc. needed) that's already the case right now with much more consequential transactions, like renting real estate in NYC. Square footages that are blatant lies, etc.

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> I find it easy to envision a world, maybe 50 years from now, in which the very concept of "truth in advertising" is viewed as a lost, idyllic fantasy.

There hasn't been "truth in advertising" for many, many years. The only thing that has changed recently is that you don't even have to hide most of the lies.

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> I find it easy to envision a world, maybe 50 years from now, in which the very concept of "truth in advertising" is viewed as a lost, idyllic fantasy. Something people are nostalgic for, but feel powerless to regain.

It's infuriating the amount of effort people will expend to claim that what was achieved in the past is literally impossible to do now. It's pervasive, especially from allegedly-smart people like software engineers.

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Software has a dependency contract that is quite unique. We can't imagine the shelflife beyond the Bazaar or Cathedral. They seem ever lasting.

The myth of impossibility remains, because we can't imagine what it means to forever occupy those places, even when others rise past them.

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> I find it easy to envision a world, maybe 50 years from now, in which the very concept of "truth in advertising" is viewed as a lost, idyllic fantasy.

I find it easy now!

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