When stuck on a Windows Server problem at work, I would sometimes check Stack Overflow. As I noted yesterday, most of the site’s users jumped ship as soon as AI provided them with a viable alternative.
This reminds me of what happened to my former employer after the HITECH Act of 2009 took effect. A part of ARRA, HITECH infused tax money into what had been the stable and slow-moving hospital software market.
Suddenly, hospitals were able to get financing for the otherwise unaffordable software from Epic Systems. Customers started leaving us and the company has yet to recover from that loss in business.
Industrial policies by the federal government run the risk of picking winners, intentionally or not. Epic, which got its start as a customer of ours, won the HITECH prize. The financial hit on myself and my former colleague friends was profound.
One area where I see the positive potential of AI is with medical applications. If there’s an IPO for Open Evidence, I hope to hop on board.