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Comment by thelastgallon | Hacker News Reader

To extend this line of thought ..

Whats better if all the RAM, CPU and storage of phones went to DCs. People are more productive without phones. They work instead of consuming content. The tens of thousands of hours lost (opportunity cost), even at a minimum wage is >$1 million over a lifetime.

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it could just be me, but I think there's a difference between maximizing the efficiency and utility of some RAM and maximizing the output of a person. The person has freedom and choice. We want them to be able to do what they want, because the downside is slavery, which is bad.

'Enslaving' RAM so we can get the most work from it as we can isn't quite the same.

I think many here would say the hyperscalers enjoy that the masses can't afford, e.g., ample local RAM (especially GPU RAM) because then they are encouraged to "rent" it from them. And that could lead to a feedback cycle where no-one could independely run models, due to (artificially created) economic conditions. And going further, if your personal economic prosperity is dependent on running capable LLMs, then while you may not be "enslaved" per se but you are certainly forced to pay these large companies for the racket they created and benefit from.

(No one is saying the RAM is "enslaved")

EDIT: upon re-reading, maybe we agree

B-but how are you going to be available and responding to emails and Slack DMs 24/7 without a phone?! I guess an employer could allocate each worker a dumbphone that has no other functions than letting your boss reach you. And check where you are physically, probably.

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