Better Offline Monologue: No, Something Big Isn't Coming
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Feb 13, 2026 A fiery takedown of alarmist AI hype and deceptive writing. Claims about autonomous code-writing and self-improving models are challenged. A controversial benchmark and undisclosed conflicts are exposed. The piece calls out media amplification and demands accountability.
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Hype Over Evidence
- Matt Schumer's essay 'Something Big Is Coming' trades on vague hype and fear rather than verifiable facts.
- Ed Zitron highlights repeated lack of citations and misleading claims about AI capabilities.
Schumer And HyperWrite
- Ed describes Matt Schumer as the founder of Other Side AI and creator of a product called HyperWrite.
- He recounts how Schumer's own model flagged weaknesses like lack of specifics when prompted to critique the piece.
AI Isn't Self-Designing
- Schumer repeatedly claims AI can autonomously write software and 'learn from itself,' which Ed says misrepresents current capabilities.
- Ed emphasizes engineers are still doing the core work and generational self-building is not happening.