this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2024
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I highlighted what I might have wanted to carry over to a more professional rewrite. (If the filename was real, I'd sanitize it so as not to single out any one employee, but I do think it's an effective example.)

Using these powerful tools

~~is lazy, unprofessional, and~~ could result in a catastrophically expensive, embarrassing mistake

if someone's not careful :)

Source: Apple Intelligence on Apple.com


OK, this is kinda funny. I wanted to make sure I'd actually seen this in WWDC. Turns out they showed a different rewrite (embedded below):

I think I see what happened. The [macOS] rewrite shown is more 1:1, but comes out sounding goofy (very LLM). On their site, they didn't want to show that, but then they used an [iOS] rewrite that missed e.g. the filename used as an example. Even someone skimming the email should see that filename was garbage and be afraid of getting called out in a meeting for typing a name like that in the future, so I think it's a miss not to have it.

Not to make a mountain out of a small example or two, but I do hope folks are aware they'd do best to read every word of anything generated for them. Reminds me: I'm excited for that word-by-word suggestion feature as it allows for one-by-one modifications to be very intentionally made.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 6 months ago

I'm mostly just glad to be in a country where it is more socially acceptable to be direct. I would be a bit more formal than the original email, but the rewritten version seems really watered down and tip-toed in comparison.

I think that is changing through ChatGPT and the likes though, even it's non-English output has a distinct American tone to it that I'm starting to see more in professional emails. I have seen too many literal translations of "I hope this message finds you well" already, it's kinda ridiculous

[–] [email protected] 22 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Prefer the left, it conveys the seriousness and feels compelling.

The right is so generic i stopped reading half way through.

[–] Silic0n_Alph4 10 points 6 months ago

Same. The right email doesn’t really say anything, so I would absolutely be at risk of ignoring it.

Better to be direct and human if it’s important.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting 21 points 6 months ago

The LLM edit shows a lack of care and detail. Bloodless, bland, not compelling. I would prefer to say things the human way, and I prefer to be spoken to the same way. Someone sent me an LLM email once and it made me feel just lonely and bored.

[–] voracitude 11 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

~~The Mac rewrite misused "compose" at the end, as well. Confusing, and could be read as self-martyring.~~ You're absolutely right that anything the LLM generates or rewrites needs to be reviewed for accuracy word by word, which rather limits the utility to most people. Imagine all the interpersonal problems that could be caused by the LLM using the wrong word, phrase, conjugation, context, etc. Imagine all the hand-typed stuff that will be blamed on the LLM if it lands badly...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

How is “compose” misused?

[–] voracitude 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Oh god, you're right, it used it correctly, it's just self-martyring. That's much worse. "This hurts me more than it hurts you". Ugh.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

I think the point was more along the lines of "it will be hard, but you [the recipient] will have to write your subordinates to cut the crap"

[–] glimse 10 points 6 months ago (2 children)

The right looks like an over-the-top business email I would send to my friend....as a joke. The only thing it's missing is a reference to synergy.

Like others are saying, I would ignore this email so fast.

[–] Beeps 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Not only is it writing the emails it’s going to read them and summarize them to the end user. That’s kind of crazy when you think about it.

[–] glimse 2 points 6 months ago

It is crazy. It completely homogenizes communication by turning everything into generic business jargon mush.

Nobody I know likes the soulless corporate culture, why would we want to write like HR?

[–] IamAnonymous 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I had a meeting with a sales guy today and he wouldn’t stop mentioning synergy 😂

[–] glimse 2 points 6 months ago

I think best practice is to circle back on this

[–] Veraxus 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

So it DOES have a passive-aggressive mode!!!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

It errs on the passive side too much 😅

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

WWDC

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

[–] Nogami 1 points 6 months ago

For non native speakers it’s fine. I can do better, however English is my first language.

If it can support my so-so Japanese grammar that will be awesome.