Richard Susskind’s new book How to Think About AI: A Guide for the Perplexed explains how thought patterns affect openness to AI:

The “process vs. outcome” distinction.

Richard Susskind: How To Think About AI
How To Think About AI

Chapter 3, “Process-thinking and Outcome-thinking,” sets the stage for following chapters by contrasting the views of two heavyweight public intellectuals: Henry Kissinger and Noam Chomsky. Kissinger praises AI to the heavens. Chomsky thinks it’s basically worthless. Susskind’s explanation for the contrasts is that Kissinger focuses on outputs, while Chomsky focuses on process:

  • Process-thinkers are interested in how complex systems work. 
  • Outcome-thinkers are interested in the results they bring. 
  • Process-thinkers are interested in the architecture of systems. 
  • Outcome-thinkers concentrate on their function. 
  • Outcome-thinkers also tend to be “bottom-up” thinkers, preoccupied with overall impact.

This is a key distinction that explains a lot about differences of opinion about AI. Since AI apps don’t think the way humans think, process-thinkers tend to dismiss them as useless. Outcome-thinkers are more pragmatic, focusing on the demonstrable practical benefits. They understand that “machines don’t need to copy us to deliver the outcomes or outputs that customers, clients and users want from their providers.” Lawyers, trained to analyze process, may be predisposed to dismiss AI’s unfamiliar logic, missing the forest (useful results) for the trees (alien methods).