5AI Snake Oil·
ICML 2026 keynote: What will be left for humans to work on as AI advances?
A keynote address delivered at ICML 2026, published via the AI Snake Oil newsletter, examines the question of what meaningful research and work remains for humans as AI capabilities expand. The piece comes from a credible academic voice in the AI criticism and evaluation space. The framing targets the research community directly, making it relevant to how practitioners and researchers are thinking about the trajectory of the field.
Related guides (2)
Related events (8)
Ethan Mollick on co-existence with AI as co-intelligence era ends
Ethan Mollick's Substack post reflects on the evolving relationship between humans and AI systems, framing a transition away from a 'co-intelligence' paradigm toward something new. The piece appears to address how humans and AI will coexist as AI capabilities advance beyond collaborative augmentation. As a commentary from a prominent AI-and-work researcher, it likely signals a shift in how practitioners and policymakers should think about human-AI collaboration.
Why AI hasn't replaced software engineers, and won't
A commentary piece from the AI Snake Oil / Normal Tech newsletter argues that coding agents should be understood as normal technology rather than transformative replacements for software engineers. The piece examines why AI has not displaced software engineering roles despite significant capability advances. This is a skeptical industry analysis relevant to ongoing debates about AI's impact on software development labor.
AI as Normal Technology
A paper by the AI Snake Oil authors argues that AI should be understood as 'normal technology' rather than as something categorically unprecedented, a framing they plan to expand into a book. The piece appears to challenge dominant narratives about AI exceptionalism. The body is minimal, suggesting this is a teaser or announcement for forthcoming work.
Three things in AI to watch, according to a Nobel-winning economist
Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu, known for his skeptical 2024 paper on AI's economic impact, outlines three areas of AI development he considers most important to monitor. The piece draws on Acemoglu's heterodox perspective relative to mainstream Silicon Valley optimism. As a tier-2 commentary piece, it offers an economist's framing of AI trajectory rather than technical analysis.
Is AI Progress Slowing Down?
A commentary piece from the AI Snake Oil newsletter examines recent claims and trends around whether AI progress is decelerating. The article appears to analyze the evidence for and against a slowdown in frontier AI development. As a tier-2 commentary source, it likely synthesizes public signals rather than presenting original research.
Real AI Agents and Real Work
A commentary piece from One Useful Thing examining the practical deployment of AI agents in real work contexts, framing the tension between human-centered work and AI-generated productivity outputs. The piece appears to analyze how autonomous AI agents are changing knowledge work workflows. Published by a Tier 2 source known for applied AI analysis aimed at practitioners and researchers.
The Shape of the Thing: Where We Are and What Likely Happens Next
A commentary piece from One Useful Thing assessing the current state of AI development and projecting near-term trajectories. The piece appears to offer a high-level synthesis of where the field stands and what developments are likely to follow. As a Tier 2 source, this represents informed commentary rather than primary research or announcements.
Do AI Risks Require Extraordinary Government Intervention?
A commentary piece from the AI Snake Oil newsletter (published via normaltech.ai) examines whether AI risks justify extraordinary government intervention. The piece appears to argue against shortcuts in AI governance, emphasizing the importance of rigorous policy work. The article engages with ongoing debates about the appropriate scope and urgency of regulatory responses to AI.