6 ms·

If we wanted to find out what an LLM thought we'd ask the LLM. Don't be a meat proxy. https://gruhn.me/blog/2026-08-03/ https://gruhn.me/blog/2026-08-03/

tmp10423288442 21d ago
But you weren't going to ask the LLM, and now you know something you weren't aware of. Seems no different than someone reporting what they found out in a Google Search, as long as they disclose that they used an LLM (as long as they used one that actually searches the web, but pretty sure even ChatGPT Free does that these days).
- ben_w 21d ago
  > but pretty sure even ChatGPT Free does that these days). It can do, but won't do so reliably; and the guessing it does if it's not grounding with a search is still like someone in a pub saying "I recon…". Admittedly, a Cambridge pub like the Carlton Arms used to be when I lived there (sometimes I'd be the only one at the table who wasn't studying for a PhD), but still, pub.
- cwillu 21d ago
  One of the more annoying pre-llm behaviours was responding with the first link of google when a question was asked (but not of them specifically).
p1mrx 21d ago
Even if you ignore my LLM numbers, "what percent of a reactor's output must be reinvested to enrich its own fuel?" is a meaningful contribution to the discussion.
- fc417fc802 21d ago
  But are your numbers reliable? By your own admission you don't know. So you aren't contributing expertise but rather the brief use of a tool that everyone has ready access to and which doesn't necessarily return reliable answers. AKA noise, at least from the perspective of a community like HN.
  - sawjet 21d ago
    Relax dude.
- Refreeze5224 21d ago
  This site is intended to be a discussion between people. If we wanted to consult some other resource, we would go do that. Injecting unverified information is not a contribution to a discussion between people, especially if it isn't coming from a human source.
  - joshoink 21d ago
    No _book_ knowledge please! Hard to know if an author actually knew their subject and was making up numbers. I ONLY want to hear first person _human_ experiences. Jfc mate
woah 21d ago
Are you a meat proxy for that blog post?

tmp10423288442 21d ago

But you weren't going to ask the LLM, and now you know something you weren't aware of. Seems no different than someone reporting what they found out in a Google Search, as long as they disclose that they used an LLM (as long as they used one that actually searches the web, but pretty sure even ChatGPT Free does that these days).

ben_w 21d ago
> but pretty sure even ChatGPT Free does that these days). It can do, but won't do so reliably; and the guessing it does if it's not grounding with a search is still like someone in a pub saying "I recon…". Admittedly, a Cambridge pub like the Carlton Arms used to be when I lived there (sometimes I'd be the only one at the table who wasn't studying for a PhD), but still, pub.
cwillu 21d ago
One of the more annoying pre-llm behaviours was responding with the first link of google when a question was asked (but not of them specifically).

p1mrx 21d ago

Even if you ignore my LLM numbers, "what percent of a reactor's output must be reinvested to enrich its own fuel?" is a meaningful contribution to the discussion.

fc417fc802 21d ago
But are your numbers reliable? By your own admission you don't know. So you aren't contributing expertise but rather the brief use of a tool that everyone has ready access to and which doesn't necessarily return reliable answers. AKA noise, at least from the perspective of a community like HN.
- sawjet 21d ago
  Relax dude.
Refreeze5224 21d ago
This site is intended to be a discussion between people. If we wanted to consult some other resource, we would go do that. Injecting unverified information is not a contribution to a discussion between people, especially if it isn't coming from a human source.
- joshoink 21d ago
  No _book_ knowledge please! Hard to know if an author actually knew their subject and was making up numbers. I ONLY want to hear first person _human_ experiences. Jfc mate

woah 21d ago

Are you a meat proxy for that blog post?