[simonw]

I've talked to a few people who are blind about vision LLMs and they're very, very positive about them.

They fully understand their limitations. Users of accessibility technology are extremely good at understanding the precise capabilities of the tools they use - which reminds me that screenreaders themselves are a great example of unreliable tools due to the shockingly bad web apps that exist today.

I've also discussed the analogy to service dogs with them, which they found very apt given how easily their assistive tool could be distracted by a nearby steak.

The one thing people who use assistive technology do not appreciate is being told that they shouldn't try a technology out themselves because it's unreliable and hence unsafe for them to use!

[hansmayer]

Please for once answer the question being asked without replacing both the question and the stated intention with something else. I was willing to give you the benefit of doubt, but I am now really wondering where does your motivation for these vaguely constructed "analogies" coming from, is the LLM industry that desperate? We were all "positive" about LLM possibilities once. I am asking you, when will LLMs be so reliable that they can be used in place of service dogs for blind people ? Do you believe that this technology will ever be that safe. Have you ever actually seen a service dog? I don't think you can distract a service dog with a steak - did you know they start their training basically from year one of age and it takes up to two years to train them. Do you think they spend those two years learning to fetch properly? Also I never said people should not be allowed to "try" a technology. But like with drugs, the tools for impaired, sick etc. also undergo a verification and licensing process, I am surprised you did not know that. So I am asking you again, can you ever imagine an LLM passing those high regulatory hurdles, so that they can be safely used for assisting the impaired people? Service dogs must be doing something right, if so many of them are safely assisting so many people today, don't they ?