Failed Companies Are Selling Old Slack Chats and Email Archives to Train AI

https://gizmodo.com/failed-companies-are-selling-old-slack-chats-and-email-archives-to-train-ai-2000747916

508 points · 23 comments · view on lemmy.world

23 Comments

EyIchFragDochNur@lemmy.world · 142 pts · 131d (2 replies)

So AI will help you to fail your own company

kambusha@sh.itjust.works · 11 pts · 131d (1 reply)

Now I can disappoint my parents in less than 10 seconds. Just like my girlfriends.

Tja@programming.dev · 5 pts · 130d

Why do your girlfriends disappoint your parents in less than 10 seconds?

Zedstrian@sopuli.xyz · 115 pts · 131d (6 replies)

I can't imagine an AI trained primarily on the communications of failed startups will be particularly effective.

AnthropomorphicCat@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 131d (3 replies)

Just do the complete opposite of what they did and you should be fine.

13igTyme@piefed.social · 26 pts · 131d (2 replies)

My start up didn't have a rich CEO with rich parents to save them when they fail.

Step 1: already be rich.

SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de · 5 pts · 131d

I mean... It's definitely a solid first step

silverneedle@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 130d

I want to found literally anything.

Step 1: already be rich.

Now that this is settled, startups (or any company for that matter) require significant up-front capital. The gate is creating a company and not the point where a company fails. Most of the time lots of funds or not companies going to the dogs will just be liquidated instead of resuscitated.

Nalivai@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 130d

As opposed to what it is now, right?

sparky@lemmy.federate.cc · 2 pts · 130d

“synergize”

MoogleMaestro@lemmy.zip · 43 pts · 131d

Now AI will participate in workplace theater for you!

jtrek@startrek.website · 29 pts · 131d (6 replies)

This feels like theft. Maybe not technically legally but the people who did the chatting aren't getting the money. Capitalist hellscape

PM_ME_YOUR_BOOBIES@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 131d

The employer owns everything you produce at work. Documents, code, emails, everything.

Tja@programming.dev · -1 pts · 130d (4 replies)

The people doing the chatting already got a paycheck for the chatting (among others).

jtrek@startrek.website · 5 pts · 130d (3 replies)

Yes that is the legal justification. I am not interested in the legal justification. Laws are not inherently good. They were clearly paid less than their worth if there's six figure payouts to be had here.

This is the fundamental injustice of capitalism. The owner pays you a small amount and keeps all the profits. A child would recognize that as unfair.

Tja@programming.dev · -3 pts · 129d (2 replies)

That's right, a child. Adults behave differently, fortunately.

Zoot@reddthat.com · 1 pts · 129d (1 reply)
[ removed ]
Tja@programming.dev · 0 pts · 129d

Respecting contracts has nothing to do with billionaires.

Etterra@discuss.online · 23 pts · 130d (2 replies)

Some of them are selling to equity firms do be cannibalized and advanced/destroyed, or weirder, radically rebranded. For example:

  • Be eco-friendly, online shoe company
  • Overextend like crazy by buying brick and mortar stores
  • Go broke and sell for pennies on the dollar
  • Be different company
  • Buy failed shoe company
  • Change name completely
  • Pivot to AI computing leases
  • Somehow buy billions in already wait listed technology for inflated prices
  • ???
Wispy2891@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 130d (1 reply)

I want to point out to other Lemmy users that this example it is not generic but it's a real life example (allbirds)

Etterra@discuss.online · 5 pts · 130d

Yeah I forgot to mention that part, thanks.

CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works · 18 pts · 131d

Lol are they trying to train an LLM to sound like a disgruntled worker at a failing company?

solrize@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 131d

My great startup idea is workable at last! Monetize your spam!!

eletes@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 129d

Krazam is calling the future

https://youtu.be/IU4ByUbDKNc