This is a good analogy because microwaves are useful tools and are frequently found in restaurant kitchens. They obviously don't replace the whole kitchen, but they absolutely provide value so long as you don't overuse them.

At home, I generally heat leftovers most of the way in the microwave and then finish them in the air fryer or in a pan. It's much faster than any other method and the quality is fine, just remember to stir periodically and use the right power level to ensure even heating.

I think LLMs can likewise be productively used as part of a process to get most of the way there, granted you finish it up manually. The problem comes when you try to make it the entire value stream. That's like nuking something for 5 minutes and eating it immediately; you'll have hot and cold spots and no texture.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

They obviously don’t replace the whole kitchen

[Laughs in Applebees and Red Lobster]

Or so I'm told. Applebees seems like they'd need to actually grill some stuff as well.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 months ago

That's the other reason it's a great analogy, Chef Mike is pretty central in a lot of kitchens.

[–] dumples@midwest.social 15 points 3 months ago

My favorite part was all the talk about how the kitchen was going to the size of a closet right next to the idea that you need 100 microwaves to make one good meal. Exactly the tech-bro pitch

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Pretty sure that's a response to this: https://www.finalroundai.com/blog/github-ceo-thomas-dohmke-warns-developers-embrace-ai-or-quit

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Developers are smart enough that they'll find out for themselves whether and when AI can be helpful. There is really no need for these CEOs to issue absurd commands that developers use AI (in some unspecified way) or quit. This "microwave" article does a good job of showing how absurd the CEOs' commands are. They serve no purpose except to convince investors that the appropriate bandwagons are being jumped on, and to convince CEOs that CEOs are important.

[–] Turret3857 10 points 3 months ago

https://blog.foxtrotluna.social/theyre-putting-blue-food-coloring-in-everything

A related blog post

[–] vane@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

We might microwave ourselves soon so he's not far from truth.

[–] Hirom@beehaw.org 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I typically use a microwave to heat already-cooked food, like remains of yesterday's meal. Or to heat some liquid.

It's useful. It's obviously not going to replace a pan or hoven.

[–] Routhinator@startrek.website 1 points 2 months ago

We got our microwave out of the kitchen.