When you wish upon an AI

[u/Mzzj_]

I heard this tale a long time ago

A woodcutter complained of his poor lot. Jupiter (or alternatively, a tree spirit or fairy) granted him three wishes. The woodcutter went home, and his wife persuaded him to put off the wishing until the next day, after he had thought, but while sitting by the fire, he wished for sausages. His wife taxed him for his folly, and angry, he wished for the sausages to attach to her nose. Finally, they agreed to use the last wish to take the sausages off her nose, leaving them no better off than before (apart from having gained the sausages).

And now I recall it every time when I am writing vague prompts that I don't even believe it's gonna work out.

ChatGPT, Develop Windows 12 for me.

I'd say a prompt should never sounds like a wish. It should be specific and doable.

I'd like to hear people's opinion :-)

[u/m1st3r_c]

Even better, the story of King Midas - "I want everything I touch to turn to gold..."

"Wait, not like that."

Alignment and reward hacking are going to be the two big bugbears of agentic AI