The Article's Argument
The author acknowledges that models really are advancing—writing, coding, and reasoning are all visibly stronger. But looking back at what the industry promised—curing diseases, freeing labor, benefiting everyone—precious little has been delivered. What has actually happened: content farms got more efficient, the justification for layoffs got handier, and subscription fees keep climbing. The gap between capability and well-being keeps widening—that's the "empty promise" in the title.
How to Read Criticism Like This
Pieces like this are easily filed under "anti-AI," but it's asking a legitimate question: how the dividends of technological progress get distributed was never something the technology itself can answer. The eras of electrification and the internet argued over the same thing. Rather than rushing to take sides, it's more useful to use it as a mirror to examine what you're building—whether it's actually solving problems, or manufacturing more problems that need solving.
via: The Verge