5 Things: Accountability, Chicken, and Kitchens
Here’s what grabbed my attention this week. A little research, a little writing, two new photosets, and kitchens both in a museum and at home. Friday at Five. Err, in this case it’s a day late so I guess it’s Saturday at Five this week.
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Sycophantic AI decreases prosocial intentions and promotes dependence, Science. I’ve been thinking a lot about what happens when the thing we’re asking for advice is a little too eager to agree with us. Researchers tested 11 AI models and found that they affirmed users’ actions 49% more often, on average, than human responses did. In experiments with 2,405 participants, even a single interaction with an overly agreeable AI made people less willing to take responsibility and repair a conflict, and more convinced they were right. Participants also preferred and trusted those systems. The study measured intentions, so it doesn’t tell us what people actually did afterward. Still, a pretty uncomfortable finding. Feeling validated can be very appealing when there’s something we need to own.
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This is Chicken and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones. Two new photosets from around here. First, meet Chicken, the boss of our house. She runs the ship, and we don’t mind. Then, the scones we make nearly every two weeks so there’s always a batch in the freezer. We actually prefer eating them frozen with a hot cup of strong coffee. So good. The recipe is in the photoset if you’d like to try them.
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Accountability Needs Friction. That AI research article from Science listed above found its way into my writing this week. In our podcast episode that we released this week, I revisited a website project where I was frustrated that someone wasn’t taking ownership, while failing to notice how much of what I wanted existed only in my head. It’s easy to want accountability from someone else before looking at what we’ve made clear ourselves. I wrote about the questions a coach or trusted colleague might ask, the appeal of an AI that’s happy to agree, and why a useful conversation can be a little uncomfortable. Mathias and I get into all of this in our accountability podcast episode.
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Home of the Future, 1925–1985: Designing Domestic Utopias and The Kitchen and Its Discontents, LACMA. I had a great date to the member preview of these two exhibits. Home of the Future looks at six decades of imagined domestic life, from self-cleaning kitchens to houses made of plastic, and asks who those promises were for and who was left out. The Kitchen and Its Discontents brings that conversation into the kitchen, pairing modern designs intended to make women’s work easier with art that explores the messier realities of domestic labor. So much to consider about how we imagine a better life at home, and who does the work to make it happen. One of the best parts of our trip was when a woman looked at us as she was examinging an incredibly sexist print and basically said, “WTF!” and that she was very uncomfortable. We agreed with her, and we all wondered what, if anything, has changed. Both exhibits open to everyone September 27.
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Bruce loves to cook. My friend Bruce’s great recipe site! It’s a family cookbook with recipes, cooking notes, and essays about the meals and kitchens that shaped him. You can browse by cuisine or find something quick, something to make ahead, or a sauce to pull a meal together. There are practical reference guides, too, including base recipes for weeknight cooking. I’ll be using this a bunch. Win the fridge.